Coconuts can vary in size, depending on the tree. For this reason, it’s usually best to go by color or texture when deciding whether a coconut is ready to harvest. Coconuts growing in bunches all tend to develop and ripen at the same rate.
Until the coconut is ripe enough to drop on its own, it will need to be harvested manually.
Green coconuts (around 5-6 months old) have the highest water content, and are usually harvested for drinking purposes. When the coconut turns yellow (after 7-9 months), some of the water solidifies into “jelly,” or meat, which can be extracted and eaten or processed as a cooking ingredient. By the time a coconut turns brown (12-16 months old), most of the water inside will have been turned to milk. Mature coconuts are most often used to make creams and oils.
Be on the lookout for a stalk of bamboo that’s long enough to reach to the top of the tree where the coconuts are growing and big enough around to attach a harvesting scythe to the end. If you live in an area where coconut harvesting is a common practice, it may be possible to find special telescopic tools made from lightweight materials like carbon fiber or aluminum. They’re also available online. Pole-picking is the method of choice in countries like India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and New Zealand.
Hold the harvesting pole tightly with both hands. Not only will this make it easier to control, it will also decrease your chances of losing your grip. Make sure there’s no one else in the immediate vicinity that the pole could potentially injure if it happens to topple over.
Be patient. Since you’re working from an imprecise distance, it may take a few moments to successfully sever the coconut from the bunch.
According to some statistics, falling coconuts kill as many as 150 people per year worldwide.
Together, the rope and your feet will serve as a counterpoint to your weight, making it possible to ascend the tree in a slow and controlled manner. You can typically find climbing harnesses at outdoor recreation stores that sell rock climbing or rappelling equipment. Harnesses are most often used to climb trees that are 30–80 feet (9. 1–24. 4 m) or higher. [7] X Research source
For best results, try to make sure your foot strap is no wider than the tree. Shorter straps are able to support more weight, which can allow you to “stand” on the trunk while you loosen the coconuts by hand. Double-knot the rope or cloth to make sure it will hold. Otherwise, it could give out on your halfway up the tree.
Take your time and be extremely careful. If necessary, pause every few seconds to rest before you continue. There’s no need to go all the way to the top—you just need to get within easy grabbing distance. Don’t reach too far to take hold of a coconut, as this may increase your risk of falling. If you find yourself stretching, you probably need to climb higher.
If the coconut is being stubborn, you may need to pull on it gently to get it to come free. Avoid yanking or wrenching the coconut. Doing so could compromise your stability or cause you to lose your footing on the tree trunk.
Dropping it on the point rather than the bottom makes it less likely to crack open when it lands. It’s usually okay to drop mature coconuts from any angle, as they have tougher palms that are less prone to splitting.
