SPRING Gully heritage apple orchard in Bischoffs Road last weekend held its second all weekend open-orchard and owners Sonia and Shane Vokes plan for more to come.
Rows of apple trees line the 16 ha orchard that is surrounded by lush green paddocks and framed by King Island’s iconic melaleuca trees. There are more apples, pears, and walnuts growing near the stone house in the distance.
The previous owners, the Hoffmans, supplied fresh herbs and fruit to Foodworks over many years and Sonia and Shane purchased Spring Gully a couple of years ago. Exotic aromas drift on the breeze and even with recent harvesting, the branches bend with their bounty.
“When we purchased the orchard, it had 1200 apple trees and 42 heritage apple varieties,” Sonia said. “There are so many types that I have never heard of before as they are old apples and it’s interesting to find out about them.” “Last year we started renovating the orchard and now we have 430 healthy trees which are laden.”
Shane is a born and bred King Islander and Sonia has a long family history on Flinders Island and was one of the last to be born on the island. The couple plans to develop the orchard, but are pacing themselves, as they have their mechanical, trucking and earth moving business and cattle operations to run. A freshly graded and gravelled circular drive assisted open day visitors with the topsy turvey weekend autumn weather.
The family’s aim is to attend markets and have open days for “pick your own”’ and tastings.
As agritourism grows on the island, the Vokes have also started preparing adjacent land for small animal experiences.
“Maybe a few pigs, sheep, and chooks – pigs love the apples,” Sonia said. Sonia, who has worked in vineyards, said that pruning last year was a big and hard job. “We have an abundance of fruit, chillers, sheds, and equipment, so I’m thinking we may consider juicing in the future. We had lots of requests after last year’s pruning for the apple wood for smoking. “After last year’s orchard renovation, we are now planning. “I’m thinking of maybe planting olive tree hedging at the front of the property and we will plant new apple trees.
“The golden delicious are very popular, but that area of the orchard had problems. There are also pears at the house and walnut trees… I have started mapping the orchard and started a growing diary to monitor the season’s growing patterns for the various types. “Annie Elizabeth, golden noble and golden delicious are the most popular varieties. I like russets.
“They are brown skinned and not what people are used to seeing and the Huonville crab is interesting. It is small, the only apple with pink flesh, even the sap is red, and it is good for jelly and gives a nice colour for juices. “The biggest battle besides time, are the crows [forest ravens]. They are waiting and have kept away with visitors around the trees. They are watching. They swoop in, in their hundreds,” Sonia said as the birds caw cawed from the stands of melaleuca and started dotting the sky above the adjacent paddock.
Last season, the orchard supplied apples to the Brewhouse for cider making and this year Spring Valley will supply them with around three tons of fruit.
“As Corey and Sarah develop their cider brewing, we can provide different early, mid, and late picking heritage apple types. King Island childcare, school and eateries have also benefited from their abundance – as they say “An apple a day…”