Tools I Use When Harvesting and Prepping Apples

Harvesting apples from multiple trees can take quite a lot of time. But using certain tools can make things a lot quicker and easier. Here are the apple picking and prepping tools/equipment that I would not be without:

• A fruit picker. I have a long-handled one which allows me to reach the tops of our mature apple trees without a ladder.

• A fruit crusher – to make a mash for apple juicing. Our hand cranked one has seen a lot of service and is another simple thing that has made it so much easier to manage our harvest.

• A small traditional metal based wooden apple press. This is a fantastic piece of equipment with which we have pressed many bottles of apple juice over the last few years.

This year, I have added to the list and bought a small inexpensive metal device which peels, cores and slices apples. This has considerably sped up the process of prepping apples to make apple sauce, apple butter, apple chutney etc…

I am always urging people to buy less, and don’t recommend much for people to buy. But if you are processing a lot of fruit then these things, in my opinion, can make life a lot easier. They make it easier for us to live in a sustainable way and make sure that our apple harvest does not go to waste and, importantly, they are sturdy, simple and durable enough to serve us for many years.