Apple Orchard Tightens Rules After Theft Spike

The owners of an apple orchard in West Montrose, Ont., are tired of people taking the literal fruits of their hard work.

Tim Shuh, who runs the pick-your-own Shuh Orchards near Kitchener, has put new rules in place for this apple-picking season: no strollers, backpacks, or wagons allowed in the U-pick area of the farm.

After two very busy weekends back-to-back, Shuh said he had to make these changes due to the rising problem of theft.

“We realized that with that many people on the farm, it was tough to keep track of how many were in the rows, where they were going, if they were bringing their own bags, if they were putting apples into strollers, wagons, backpacks,” he shared in an interview.

In just 14 days, there were 7,500 visitors at Shuh Orchards – 3,500 during the first week and 4,000 during the next.

Shuh mentioned that he and his team have seen visitors hide fruit and attempt to leave without paying. Some families got caught loading bushels into their car trunks instead of using the designated bags from the farm. In one instance, he found customers hiding apples under blankets in a stroller.

Shuh says he caught some customers smuggling apples out of the orchard in a stroller. (Submitted by Tim Shuh)

“I myself have confiscated about 250 pounds of apples and my dad has reported several others stealing,” Shuh stated.

“There’s no way with 4,000 people on our farm that we could even catch half of those who were stealing when I checked.”

Shuh estimated at least 500 pounds of apples have been stolen over these last two weeks-“erring on the extreme side of conservatism.”

At around $4 per pound, that’s roughly $2,000 lost in revenue. He expressed his frustration and mentioned that it’s causing staff to reconsider whether they should continue letting visitors pick their own apples.

“We don’t know if we’d want to keep doing this if it continues,” Shuh said. “If everyone was stealing from us, we’d definitely shut down tomorrow.”

‘We’re aware it happens’

Other farms nearby are facing similar issues.

Byron Good, co-owner of Good Family Farm Pumpkins, said it’s hard to pin down exactly how much has been taken over time.

“We know that it happens. We’ve caught some people stealing things. Those conversations are really tough and stressful,” he noted.

“We’re always concerned about it.”

Byron Good runs a pumpkin patch in Waterloo and acknowledges theft as a problem but is hesitant to impose strict rules for fear it might spoil customer enjoyment. (Submitted)

Despite his concerns about thefts happening at his farm too, Good prefers not to enforce similar restrictions as Shuh Orchards because he’s worried about impacting customer experience negatively.

“The vast majority of folks are honest and appreciate what we do,” Good explained.

“If families like coming together… if having kids in a stroller makes things easier for them while exploring our farm is important.”

If it’s easier for families…if having kids in strollers helps them navigate around more smoothly while picking apples is important.”

This will remain our strategy alongside security cameras for now.

If you’re going after a big pumpkin as your prize possession or you plan on making off with any free stuff.. at least I’ll make you earn it!”

Your concerns about theft affecting farmer expenses

The problems related to theft on pick-your-own (U-pick) farms aren’t just unique to Waterloo region either-Kevin Vallier from Agritourism Ontario confirms this issue is growing overall within agriculture today!)-This nonprofit organization represents farmers across Ontario focused on promoting various ways they can sell locally sourced produce ranging from markets situated right here on-site up through everything else involved with agritourism such as U-Picks themselves!(..). VAL!>)”# (p=-“-/.# }}}{}-=/ “$(+. (b=)$//}} (f. ){“$\-===.<__–; (; “=/ )c, /)<- ,: m$; “<-$${ { __.} '-._;';.]-“-)” (/}”>’) –>—<— 1/-,! –"_.." — –== /<$ -, "-.. ____ ;. = =; '' "(!=@-._) /-|(-) ' " "".___ #-/&—.. ;;,,–''' ____ _.-'/-;-… / "____' ; ____.'; """ $(o.; J!!`)?]/ '".'$- !.',/'/ "'#{'; :,.; [ ;^}[]}]; ______ -<__.—‘=—–…_.__./”’=-\ !; ‘ ; ‘ $.# ‘.; ])’ ! )) ‘ ‘ ” $—. } `$ ;;; ‘ ‘((“#’.$ “.-‘”./.’ )’/ ###” (.’. ? ” )) ###***#### ””””-.– ____________ ! !” “#.$$.      ‘) ((((( ( ).——-). [ ‘ }},’ ”’.” [____________] [[!___] # )) $ ‘) " ___#___ ””””’ &———- { } , ‘ + >>;}’) _______/…… —- )]) ~~~***~~~ ————————- _____________________;;;;;;;______;;——~~~~~~—-_____;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;.___      ( {“( _)””–. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` ‘ “` (.) ($$ )))))))))))))))) )”}; | | | | |);) || &}) )&}) ] __) } )””; “; ([ } ‘}’ }'” &&^” )/))) *(?’** ))));)) |()- -)() {“() (&({) *”)*)* ) )’ * ‘)a{ “””””””)[-“;.’! )}*$#$&#$ [“!%(!)_)*]*+ “*%”) “}”$%*)))+){? )’/” + “# – ; !

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