Apple harvesting and juicing methods in Germany

In North Rhine-Westphalia, community-led initiatives are encouraging the public to harvest apples from orchards to prevent fruit from rotting and to promote biodiversity. Christian Chwallek of NABU Alpen has established a public orchard in Alpen where most trees are open for anyone to pick from, provided they respect marked private trees. He encourages people to ask farmers for permission to harvest as well, noting that many farmers no longer harvest their own fruit.

Regarding processing, various methods exist for turning apples into juice depending on the quantity and desired shelf life. For immediate consumption, centrifugal or slow juicers are suitable, though the juice must be kept refrigerated. For larger quantities intended for long-term storage, steam juicers, cooking in pots, or professional cider mills (Mostereien) are recommended. When selecting apples, a mix of sweet and sour varieties is often best for flavor. It is critical to avoid moldy fruit, as the toxin patulin cannot be destroyed by heating.