fruit picking in NZ?
 

i hope this hasn't been asked before…
i'm looking to get the NZ around the end of february, hoping to find some work in fruit picking, hopefully in cherries (although any tree-grown fruit is good). anyone can tell me where i should look, what the seasons are, which pay good money (espacially in piece work)? anything else i should know about accomodation, etc?
thanx
.f

Re: fruit picking in NZ?
 

Sunny Hawkes Bay:thumbup:

http://www.workinnz.co.nz/

Re: fruit picking in NZ?
 

Hi there. Feb might be a bit late for Cherries as they will come on late December, but after that a number of the other stone and pip-fruits will come on. Best place to start will be the North Island I'd say, but really a google on arrival - or drop in to any local hostel - and you'll get the low down on where is 'good' at any one time.

There is a program in which Organic farms supply bed and board in return for fruit picking/ farm work - the name escapes me now but that's popular with travellers.

Good luck with it, and enjoy NZ in Feb - a brilliant time to be here :)

Re: fruit picking in NZ?
 

have a look at this; http://www.wwoof.co.nz/

Re: fruit picking in NZ?
 

That's the one! Wwoofing! Sounds like dogging, but not as seedy ;)

Re: fruit picking in NZ?
 

try Bleheim pre christmas for cherry picking,

Re: fruit picking in NZ?
 

bet it's called something else over there?:eek:

Re: fruit picking in NZ?
 

Great name Perry:thumbsup:

Wonderful name:thumbsup:

Re: fruit picking in NZ?
 

thanks, love the avatar by the way, vindaloo the night before?:)

Re: fruit picking in NZ?
 

Yeah, major ring sting:blink:

I called my youngest Perry, he loves his name.

Re: fruit picking in NZ?
 

yeah, there's not enough Perry's these days:)

Re: fruit picking in NZ?
 

thanx everyone
yea i know about wwoofing (i know the name is weird, but it's World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms)
i've done some of that, but i'm looking for something to make some money, to do some travelling afterwards
from what i can see, Bleinheim sounds big on wine production, i guess it could be a start…
anyone know about apple orchards? anyone ever done that kind of work, who can give me some advise? i heard of tangerines, pears, apricots ; is it any good to work for reasonable money?
anyone heard of Cromwell? i've read it's also a good place to find orchards…
peace
.f

Re: fruit picking in NZ?
 

not sure of times of year but kiwi fruit picking in the te puke area ,near tauranga,used to be plenty of work.bit back breaking though .

Re: fruit picking in NZ?
 

Cromwell was my first thought - I had the impression it was the biggest cherry growing area. Other areas to look at in Central (Central Otago) include Alexandra and Roxburgh. Plenty of grapes, other stone fruit and pipfruit grown around there too.

Cromwell and Alexandra are nice areas to spend the summer, they have the best weather in NZ at that time of year and are near to lakes and mountains.

Contract picking is the norm - good if you're a gun picker. They struggle for staff (low population, highly seasonal requirement) so you are likely to be working with all sorts of nationalities. South Americans and Samoans on temp permits make up many of the numbers.

Re: fruit picking in NZ?
 

hi mate..i am also arriving in nz and will be looking into fruit picking for a few months. i have found an application on face book called SEASONAL JOBS IN NEW ZEALAND..check this out as there are job postings on there