BARBARA DALE is the real fruit expert in the Dale family. She helps her husband look after the trees in the orchards and is often there from dawn ’til dusk testing the soil, watering the roots and pruning the branches. All her hard work pays off in the summer and autumn when it’s finally time to harvest the ripe fruit. She loves it when the school children come along to help and often holds competitions to make it more fun for everyone. There is usually a freshly-baked pie for whoever picks the most cherries and a jar of home-made jam for the child lucky enough to find the largest apple. Her husband tried to win a prize this year, but she told him he was far too old and that would be cheating!