For Apple Day: Eat your way to the river
It's Apple Day, one of my favourite days of the year and what better way to celebrate than to tell you about my recent trip to Longney, where Gloucestershire Orchard Trust have 18 acres of apple orchard under their tender care. Here you'll find older orchards with some trees well over a century old, plus their newer plantings of around 94 Gloucestershire cultivars which have just acquired national plant collection status at Plant Heritage . The jury's out on the actual number as DNA testing has revealed at least one locally named variety is actually a more well known one: Ribston Pippin in this case. Don't worry, there are dozens there which definitely have their origins rooted firmly in Gloucestershire and their cultivation at Longney is vital to their continued presence and preservation. There were around 200 local varieties at one time and today it's around 100 still in existence. Steve Mason - the Trust's Curator - was our knowledgeable guide who invited ...
Both looking great VP, allotment looks ready to rock and roll! :)
ReplyDeleteHi VP. What's the twiggy stuff bottom-right of the allotment - a project in the offing?
ReplyDeleteSimon
Your allotment is looking ready for the off. Shame about the wetness of the soil!
ReplyDeleteAll we need now is some good weather so as we can all get allotmenteering and gardening in earnest! xx
ReplyDeleteHi Paul & Melanie - I feel like I'm behind all your efforts already!
ReplyDeleteSimon - it's the old autumn fruiting raspberry canes. Could be future pea sticks, or just turned into path mulch as usual. Further down the plot I've got loads of hazel in readiness for some willow weaving...
Judith - the weather's been so frustrating hasn't it?
Flighty - too right! I bet we'll get it next week just as I'm due to go up north again!
Both looking spick and span. It's interesting to see the grass borders on your lottie - grass is frowned on on our site much to my regret.
ReplyDeleteAnna - we all have grass between our plots and a rule that says we have to keep our patch of it neat and tidy!
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