Next Wednesday, 13 November 2019, we are going to do a interview with a local farmer. We hope to get a closer view of the lifecycle of apples and gain more information about how those fascinating trees are grown. We prepared some questions for the interview below to get a detailed description from the farmer, let's see if we gonna grow our own tree soon. ;)
- How are the conditions for packaging (cartons, plastic etc.)?
- How do you store the apples and how long can you keep them?
- How do you differ between using the apple for sale (grocery shop), food production (keeping them for yourself) or as animal food (for cows etc.)?
- When and how does the harvest take place?
- How do you protect apples from damages (birds, hail, insects etc.)? Are there differences between sorts of apples regarding protection?
- How long does it take until the first apples are grown?
- What is the first step of the "apple-lifecycle"?
- What do you think about this procedure, is there anything you would want to change?
- Do you see problems (in future) for apple plantages?
Why do we ask this questions? What could be the answer? Or is it an "open question"?
- Question 1: We want to ask this question to know how apples can be packed an what packaging methods are available. The packaging method can have a big impact on the climate.
- Question 2: We want to ask this question to understand how apples are stored and how it is possible to offer fresh apples during the whole year because of their storage.
- Question 3: We want to ask this question to understand how the apples are sorted. We want to know the criteria to sell apples. For example rotten apples won’t be sold.
- Question 4: We want to ask this question to know, what the important points are to take care on during the harvest? For example the have to be careful that no apples fall from the tree.
- Question 5: We want to know what damages farmers have to struggle with. What can they do to avoid this damages? For example a net to avoid damages through birds or other animals. Are there any apple varieties that are less vulnerable?
- Question 6: We want to ask this question to know, how long it takes until the first apples grow and to know how long it takes until we can eat the first apple.
- Question 7: We want to ask this question to know how the lifecycle of an apple starts. For example it starts with buying and planting the tree.
- Question 8 and 9 are open questions. The answers depend on the opinion and the view of the person. We want to ask this questions to know, if it is profitable to produce apples or not.
Best regards
Tamara Keller, Stefanie Kunz, Simone Etter, TZ19