Dates are ripened in nets to ensure they don’t fall to the ground and to protect them from birds
Harvesting of Medjoul dates is in full swing around Jericho in Palestine. Karam Abdo, from our partner Pal Gardens, describes here how harvesting these lovely dates demands a huge amount of strength and resilience of both the workers, as well as the trees themselves. Our other long-term partner, Nakheel Palestine, shares images from this year’s harvest as the dates are picked and then the best are selected for you to buy here in UK.
“Harvest time is the highpoint of the year,” says Karam. “It’s a big celebration of all the work and expertise put into nurturing the date palms all year round, the abundance of the fruit of the land, and it’s a time of peak employment.”
“The climate this year has really been challenging for the workers who have had to endure very high temperatures. While dry heat is generally good for Medjoul dates, extreme heat can also negatively impact the quality of the dates, as they may not ripen evenly and can dry out too quickly. It is vital to be constantly adaptive to ensure the trees are adequately hydrated. Israeli restrictions on access to water, and freedom of movement, have added yet more layers of hardship for the farms this year.
It’s been a challenging year, but we are pleased with the harvest and very proud of these very special Medjouls – the season is definitely something to celebrate!”
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