Harvest Time

Throughout the Nelson province nature is yielding her fruits. Hops and tobacco, stone and pip fruit and tomatoes have reached maturity, and labour, recruited from all parts of New Zealand and from overseas, has been harvesting the wealth of the province. Tobacco growers, despite inclement weather which badly affected some areas, are anticipating another record crop and indications are that those engaged in fruit growing can also look forward to a bumper yield. The picture on these two pages shows a section of the big hop and tobacco area at Riwaka.

Tony Goldsworth (Taranaki) gathering tobacco leaf on the property of Grahame Hogg, Motueka.

Harvesting by motorised harvester on the farm of Cliff Trewavas, Riwaka.

Looking happy at the prospect of finishing the harvest on Cliff's farm are these workers

The sight of hop pickers is becoming an increasingly rare one as manual picking gives way to machinery.

Tomato growers have also had a good season, although prices on the southern markets have not been quite as good as some years. Here Dominique Lauria picks some of the last fruit.

Cliff Trewavas, Mary Starcevieh (Perth) and Pam Bridekirk (Sydney) tie leaf to battens.

Doreen Stone and Bill Goodall hard at work picking on Alby Stone's hop garden at Riwaka.

Bobby Harkess (Kaiapoi) and Marion Miller (Dannevirke) pick apples on John Fraser's orchard at Tasman.

Laden trucks await entry to the Apple and Pear Board's inspection building on McGlashen Quay

Cases of fruit are selected for inspection

Some fruits do not reach minimum requirements for the grade and are returned to growers.

Ultimate destination of fruit - aboard ship and thence overseas.

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The Nelson Photo News

No 53 : April 3, 1965

Harvest Time