- 3 



a starting point, but plan to continue experimenting in 1966 to deter- 

 mine what portion of the top should be picked to make the team opera- 

 tion most economical. We should hope economists and other growers will 

 help with calculations. 



This approach is different from that of a movable platform that 

 carries the entire crew, but has the same objective of making harvest 

 more efficient and of taking some of the heavy work out of the opera- 

 tion. 



We are presenting the information in this article as an example of 

 a growers 's attempt to increase harvest efficiency. It seems possible 

 that some type of mechanical aid may prove helpful, but it must be econom- 

 ical and adapted to the trees and orchard terrain. In addition, costs 

 can be distributed if the device can be used for other jobs. A device 

 will be helpful if it can be used in conjunction with a crew harvesting 

 from the ground or from short ladders. This could increase the number 

 of available competent pickers. "Picking the Top" may well become an 

 easy and desirable part of the operation. 



*************** 



IMPROVING APPLE HARVEST EFFICIENCIES WITH THE 

 "THREE TEAM METHOD" 



Dr. L. F. Whitney 

 Department of Agricultural Engineering 



The on-coming apple harvest, again with prospects of a dwindling 

 labor supply, requires some serious thoughts as to how to best use this 

 labor. The "Three Team Method of Picking Apples"* may be a management 

 technique which can be used toward this end. Devised in England, the 

 system ^^7as evaluated at Michigan State University ten years ago, A 15% 

 improvement in picking rates ivas demonstrated without a substantial in- 

 crease in equipment investment. In 1965, one consultant in Oregon in- 

 stalled this system for an apple growing client with an avowed increase 



D/0. 



A ground based crew first picks all apples that can be reached from 

 the ground in a conventional manner, then moves on to the next tree. 

 Women and older pickers might constitute such a crew. Note that all 

 apples below the 6' level would be removed before ladders and succeeding 

 picker crews arrive, thereby eliminating the possibility for fruit to be 

 knocked to the ground. 



Picker "specialists" working on seven foot stepladders - or other 

 equipment such as platforms - remove the fruit below the 12 foot height. 



*"The Three Team Method of Picking Apples" by J. H, Levin and H. P. Gas- 

 ton, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. Article 38-65. 



