Orchards in Netherlands
17.12.2018, by Bénédicte Gaillard
Research: Hans Renes; upload: Bénédicte Gaillard. Entries still in progress.
Until the 19th century: small-scale and mainly on farmyards. Larger density in and around towns.
1880s: grain crisis, globalisation, modernisation. Self-strengthening process of specialisation
Concentration in a few regions
In those regions industry, education, marketing infrastructure
Since 1960s: enlargement of scale and move to uniform orchards with low trees
Old orchards: ‘high’ trees, individually planted, many different types (spreading of risks, income, workload), combined with pasture (‘fruit pastures’). Located near farms.
Modern orchards: larger (South-Limburg: from valleys to plateaus), aiming at maximum production, low and uniform trees (possibility of mechanisation). Look very different on air photographs.
Some of the old orchards are preserved for reasons of landscape and biodiversity. Much work done by volunteers. Profit from growing interest in local products.
