The Australian Women's Register

This oral history project provides interviews with orchardists who speak about their childhood; family life; education; life in rural communities; agricultural shows; clearing land; the shift from larger trees to dwarf plantings; irrigation; the impact of drought and storm damage; climate change; use of fertilisers; pests, diseases and their control; weed control; pruning; varieties of fruit; breeding new varieties; picking, grading and packing fruit; packing cases; cold storage and transportation. Growers speak about the early days of farming, including the use of horses, through to recent technological innovations and experimentation with new varieties; labour and the use of labour during WWII. Also discussed are cooperatives, marketing and export; lower prices and increased competition; the departure of small growers; diversification into other fruits such as cherries, raspberries, plums, grapes and kiwifruit; cider making; the expansion into tourism and direct sales to the public; the roles and assistance provided by the Apple and Pear Growers Association; state and federal apple and pear boards; the Dept. of Agriculture and regulations for growing fruit; industry conferences.