Apple Harvest Time with Hubert Bois
Snow White would definitely bite into these straight away. The apples currently being harvested by Hubert Bois are crisp and beautifully red. The Demeter farmer has been growing fruit and vegetables to the highest quality criteria since the start of the 1980s, and is also a BioTropic partner.
Bois’ plantations are in Meckenheim, a place that is even known as “Apple town” because of its distinctive fruit-growing. The varieties he currently has are typical autumn apples such as the Alkmene, the Elstar, or the Pinova. The Boskoop is also being harvested now – it first gives out its characteristic aroma in winter, after a certain time in storage.
"We’re happy with this year’s harvest,
all things considered."
“In spite of all the problems with drought, we’re happy with this year’s harvest, all things considered. Due to the dry summer, no fungal diseases were prevalent, and we have some really good quality,” declared Bois. “The sugar content is high this year. The sugar-acid ratio has been shifted somewhat due to all the hours of sunshine we’ve had,” he explained.
The bright red apples are particularly nice to look at. “The rich colours are a result of the difference in temperature between day and night,” says Bois. And which variety does he like best? He says it’s the Topaz at the moment. Then it’ll be the Boskoop at Christmas. “I don’t have an absolute favourite apple. Depending on the season, there’s a variety of apple that has a particular quality that I really appreciate.”
Text: Visnja Malesic
Images: Hubert Bois Naturkost & Warenhandels GmbH | BioTropic GmbH
Version from: October 2018
You can find more about Hubert Bois and apples here:
“We are dealing with extreme conditions” – How Demeter farmer Bois survives the hot summer
Apple Blossom Time with Hubert Bois