It is said all the time how water efficient orchards have become with trickle irrigation. Maybe not. If these trees were fruiting in the low winter sun, they would only have apples on one side of the tree. At least, the grass wouldn’t grow.

This kind of shading will occur in the summer as well, to a lesser degree. They will be trimmed two weeks before harvest to expose the apples to some sun. They will colour (and sweeten) from there. Much water must be wasted by these trees, to keep them from burning in their exposed state.