Connecticut orchard and CT Voyager balloon company clash over apple picked from a balloon
Woodstock Orchards in Connecticut says a hot air balloon came down into its orchard, struck trees and had apples taken for a second time. The balloon company says the balloon stayed above the treeline, did no damage, and apologised for not asking permission.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Woodstock Orchards LLC, a family-run farm in Connecticut's "Quiet Corner", said in a Facebook post that a hot air balloon came down into its orchard on Saturday and someone aboard took apples from its trees. The IndependentLC “Woodstock Orchards LLC, a family-run farm located in Connecticut’s so-called “Quiet Corner,” said that the incident on Saturday was the second time that the balloon took an apple from their grounds.” Read at The Independent ↗ New York PostR ““For the second time, this hot air balloon has come down into our orchard, with someone reaching out and taking apples from our trees,”” Read at New York Post ↗ Mixed · 2The farm said its trees were struck and damaged in the process, and that it was not asked for permission. The IndependentLC ““In the process, our apple trees have been struck and damaged.”” Read at The Independent ↗ New York PostR “We were not asked for permission for the balloon to do this.” Read at New York Post ↗ Mixed · 2A photo posted by the farm shows a colourful balloon with passengers in its basket, branded with the company's name; the Independent gives it as CT Voyager Balloons and the New York Post as CT Voyagers. The IndependentLC “The image also shows that the balloon is clearly stamped with its company name: CT Voyager Balloons.” Read at The Independent ↗ New York PostR “Photos posted by the farm showed the alleged klepto-balloon had branding for “CT Voyagers,”” Read at New York Post ↗
Mixed · 2The farm said it wants nothing in return except that it never happens again, and that it welcomes visitors and likes seeing balloons in the sky but that this does not give anyone permission to damage trees or take crop. The IndependentLC ““We do not want anything in return except for this to never happen again,”” Read at The Independent ↗ New York PostR “But enjoying the view does not give anyone permission to damage our trees or take our crop,”” Read at New York Post ↗ Mixed · 2In a statement to Boston.com, a company representative called it a misunderstanding and said the balloon first passed over the farm several years ago, when a "nice young lady" tossed apples to passengers and the balloon left without complaint or damage. The IndependentLC “The representative said that the balloon passed over the farm several years ago, encountering a “nice young lady” who tossed apples to passengers.” Read at The Independent ↗ New York PostR “A spokesperson for CT Voyagers told Boston.com that two apple-theft incidents were simply a “misunderstanding.”” Read at New York Post ↗ Mixed · 2For Saturday's flight, the company said the balloon, which had taken off around 4 p.m. and met strong winds, stayed above the treeline and caused no damage; the pilot lowered it about three feet to pick an apple for a 12-year-old passenger who reached for one. The IndependentLC “it remained above the treeline and did not damage the trees, the company representative told Boston.com.” Read at The Independent ↗ New York PostR ““There was absolutely no damage to the trees, no fallen branches, not even a falling leaf,”” Read at New York Post ↗
Mixed · 2The company said a "very angry man" then told the pilot never to do it again and to leave, even though the pilot returned the apple and offered to pay; the New York Post adds that the company said orchard workers "verbally threatened" the crew and said they would ruin its reputation. The IndependentLC “the passengers were soon met with a “very angry man” who warned them never to take an apple again and ordered them to leave, despite the pilot returning the apple and offering to pay for it” Read at The Independent ↗ New York PostR “the workers at the orchard “verbally threatened” the balloon crew and said they would ruin the company’s “reputation.”” Read at New York Post ↗ Mixed · 2The company apologised for not seeking permission to pick one apple, acknowledging that asking was justified though not required on the earlier flyover, and said its pilot now knows the new policy. The IndependentLC “we do apologize for not seeking permission to pick one apple, and our pilot is now well aware of this (new) policy going forward.” Read at The Independent ↗ New York PostR ““We acknowledge that seeking permission to pick even one apple is justified, although was not required on our last flyover several years ago,”” Read at New York Post ↗ Mixed · 2In an updated statement reported by the Post, the orchard said it did not turn to social media as a first decision and that the balloon operator had been spoken to. Neither side's response to the outlets' requests for comment was reported. New York PostR ““did not just run to social media as a first decision after this happened.”” Read at New York Post ↗ The IndependentLC “The Independent has contacted Woodstock Orchards LLC and CT Voyager Balloons for comment.” Read at The Independent ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- A fairly straightforward report that sets the farm's outrage against the balloon company's account, with the company's version given in some detail.
- Emphasis
- The image of the balloon, the farm's livelihood argument and the company's apology.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not include the company's claim that orchard workers verbally threatened the crew, or the orchard's updated statement.
- Charged language
- “swiped”“outraged”
- For example
-
“The owners of a Connecticut orchard were left outraged when a hot air balloon allegedly descended from the sky and swiped at least one apple.” — The Independent
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- A lighter, more colourful take that portrays the farm's post as an angry outburst while giving the company's "misunderstanding" defence.
- Emphasis
- The farm's wording, the company's claims of threats and reputational harm, and the orchard's updated statement.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the strong winds or the 4 p.m. take-off in the company's account.
- Charged language
- “scorched earth”“seething”“klepto-balloon”“blimp business”
- For example
-
“A Connecticut orchard has gone scorched earth on a hot air balloon company it’s accused of swooping over its trees and serially swiping apples” — New York Post
What every side reports
- Woodstock Orchards, a family-run Connecticut farm, posted on Facebook that a hot air balloon took apples from its trees for a second time.
- The balloon in the farm's photo carries CT Voyager(s) branding.
- The company told Boston.com the pilot picked one apple for a 12-year-old and that the balloon stayed above the treeline.
- The company apologised for not asking permission to pick an apple.
Where accounts differ
-
Whether the balloon damaged the trees
- Left
- The farm says its trees were struck and damaged; the company says it did not damage them (Independent, relaying both).
- Right
- The farm says trees were struck and damaged; the company says there was no damage, "not even a falling leaf" (Post, relaying both).
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What happened after the apple was picked
- Left
- The company says a "very angry man" ordered the balloon to leave.
- Right
- The company also says orchard workers "verbally threatened" the crew; the Post reports no response from the orchard on this.
Woodstock Orchards organisation
Says the balloon came into its orchard twice, took apples without permission and damaged trees. It wants respect for its livelihood and for the incident not to recur, and says it did not go straight to social media.
““To have this happen once is upsetting. To have it happen twice makes it even more disappointing.”” — New York Post
““We do not want anything in return except for this to never happen again,”” — The Independent
Left1 article
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Connecticut orchard outraged after hot air balloon swiped an apple from the sky
Neutral Even-handed account contrasting the farm's allegations with the balloon company's version.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
-
Mixed Playful, tabloid-style retelling that dramatises the farm's post while carrying the company's rebuttal.
- 15 Oct 17:14 First The IndependentLC Connecticut orchard outraged after hot air balloon swiped an apple from the sky
- 15 Oct 23:39 +6h 25m New York PostR Connecticut orchard claims hot air balloon company has been swiping its apples from the sky in seething post
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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