Fruit Picking / Backpacking in Europe, Canada, OZ and NZ?

Looking for first hand information on this:





It has just been suggested by a friend that we get away for a couple of months this year and go fruit picking / backpacking.





I know you can do this all year round in OZ and NZ, and that Canada has a long fruit picking season (ending around August); also France, Spain and Italy do this too.





But has anybody actually done this; does it pay; whats the work like?





The way i hear it is you get free accommodation, food, use of the facilities and either a daily rate or paid by the Kg. In return you work shifts in the fields / orchards picking fruit.





If you want to move on you can have the owner call ahead to other locations, and pre arrange work.





Some of the online guides are saying earning rates of £30-£60 per day; can this be right.





Looking for anybody thats actually dont this - Not second hand info.





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Fruit Picking / Backpacking in Europe, Canada, OZ and NZ?
I did this almost 3 years ago in Australia. It really varies from farm to farm. Some pay you cash by the bucket of whatever you pick, some pay you by the hour, some pay you in room and board. The work can be pretty tough - long hours in the heat, but you have some great experiences with "real" Australians. It also gets you away from the real tourist traps on the east coast. My advice is go west and check out www.wwoof.com.au - Hope this helps
Reply:Sorry - I know that you are looking for 1st hand info. But as you didn't have any answers, I thought you might want 2nd hand info afterall.





I have never heard of anyone that has done fruit picking in NZ in summer. It really isn't that warm. The orchards are areas were the winters are really cold (lots of snow, etc).





The pay is really low - more like around £20 a day for 10 hours.





You can choose to live at the orchard - but it will eat into your pay.
Reply:I hope you like snakes - because when we were working in the sugar cane fields - there were many...........





There are better jobs - restaurants for a start.





The best job was on a dive boat and got free diving, room and board - way better than farm work.





Berry picking in Canada bites as well - have done this - it means 5 am start and I had a really horrible boss. There are a lot of immigrants willing to work in conditions that are not acceptable, but they need the money so are put in a position by abusive employers - keep this in mind.
Reply:I have friends who run a fruit picking business in New Zealand and they only employ Thais who work damned hard for good wages, but there is no free accomodation, they live in a hostel provided by their employers and pay rent for the rooms. (Mostly shared) the work cannot be fruit picking all year round so if you do pick up work, expect to do planting and pruning. I would advise you to think about another legal way of earning a crust whilst there. On the plus side it is a great country, I have been there five times and enjoyed every minute....................