How Quebec's apple orchards are adapting during COVID-19

Quebec apple-picking season is in full swing, butproducers have had to adapt to comply with COVID-19 public health restrictions.

The new rules include hand sanitizer stations at the entrance tothe orchardsand the wearing of masks on tractor rides and inside the boutique.

Perhaps the biggest difference from previous years though is that people are not allowed to bite into their freshly picked apples on site.

"It's a rule from public health. It's a rule from the union of Quebec apple producersbecausewe want to avoid the hand-to-mouthcontact," saidDavid Lafond, owner of La Pommalbonneorchardin Compton, Que.

"Are we able to make sure it's respected 100 per cent? It's a challenge."

Monique Landry, co-owner of the Verger Barry in Sainte-Anne-de-la-Prade, said it's important that visitors hold off on enjoying their apples.

"Biting into an apple in the orchard it's the reflex of just about everyone. But this year, it's not a very good idea because if we touch something contaminated and then put our hands near our mouths, we can become contaminated," she said.

At Verger Barry, ladders used for reaching the highest apples must be disinfected between uses. They have also reduced the amount of picnic tables on site to ensure everyone is keeping a safe distance.