I have been working on a cherry farm in Cromwell for three weeks. Fortune Fruit was its name and it was indeed furtunate for me to get a job there.
I had applied in the internet, more out of fun and nothing else to do. Some hours later I got a phone call and I had the job. Great!
So the next weeks were spent sorting cherries into export quality, domestic and rubbish. It micht sound kinda boring, but it wasnt actually. You could listen to music, talk to other people and eat as many cherries as you liked.
The atmosphere was great as well! Nobody put pressure on you, if not yourself, because you were paid by contract and not hourly. People were really friendly to each other and did even heop the slower sorters to finish their last bucket befoer break, when they had done theirs already.
Additionally when the working day was long (usually it started at 8:30am and finished between 3:00pm and 5:00pm), the supervisor gave some chocolates to us to keep up the motivation.
Like all the other workers I was staying at a campsite on the farm. I was sleeping in a van, but there was a very well equipped kitchen and, of course, sanitaries. After some time it was almost as if you were staying with your big family. You got to know the other workers really well and had lots of fun together! Also there were lots of things to do with cherries - baking pies, pancakes, jam, fruit salad... and lots of competitions in spitting cherry pits were held ;). I am really gonna miss that time and all the nice people!
All in all it was a great experience and even though it was hard work, I enjoyed every minute and would have loved to stay longer!

Visit Fortune Fruit Website

Lake Dunstan Cromwell

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