Handpicking Ripe Apples Straight from the Trees in South Korea

Stepping into a different realm with clusters of ripe, red apples, handpicked and enjoyed right in the orchard.

Handpicking Ripe Apples Straight from the Trees in South Korea

Setting foot in Mungyeong in early November, I harbored a desire to witness firsthand the golden rows of ginkgo trees shimmering in the sunlight or the crimson maple leaves on high. It took about 3 hours from Busan city for me and my friends to travel to this central Korean city.

Looking out the window, Mungyeong was vastly different from what I had imagined about a third-world country in Asia. There were no skyscrapers or smog, but instead, a peaceful town nestled quietly around the foot of the mountain.

Amidst the golden-red hues of the autumn forest, I was immediately captivated by the apple orchards lining both sides of the road, stretching across the hillsides.

My eyes seemed to light up at that moment, so Ms. Hoa - our tour guide - guessed my intention and began to explain that at this time, South Korea is in the fruit harvest season, such as apples, pears, and persimmons.

For someone who only imagined apple trees producing small, green, mildly sour fruits like me, the clusters of fresh red apples swaying in the orchard before me had a strange allure and stimulated my curiosity.

And then we were allowed into the apple orchard. Unlike the orchards in the southern region, visitors here just need to buy tickets and can freely eat. The apples here are already picked and sold at the orchard gate. Because they are grown for sale, the orchard owner only allows visitors in if they agree to buy at least 10 kg of apples.

At first, I thought that was a considerable amount, but when I touched the first apples on the tree, I realized that each of us only needed to pick 2-3 apples to meet the required quantity.

According to the orchard owner, there are about 170 trees here, and each tree yields about 40 kg of apples per crop. To produce fruit and harvest, the trees must be planted for at least 4-5 years. The apple trees are planted in straight rows, about 2 m apart, and covered with white nylon sheets to retain moisture.

Although these apple trees are nearly 10 years old, they are only half my height. The ripe apples hang in clusters, weighing down the branches, requiring the orchard owner to use support sticks from all four sides. Each apple is as big as a rice bowl, easily plucked down with a raised hand. However, upon closer inspection, I noticed that the high-hanging apples were gathered into many clusters and were bright red. So I decided to choose those apples by using a special stick with a grabber-like mechanism to pick them from the branches.

Referencing: Travel Handbook from Mytour