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 us to taste our way through the orchard's bounty as we made our way towards the River Severn which forms the site's furthest boundary. He told us that at one time both sides of this mighty river were lined with orchards, and they are proud to have this remnant under their care. It's not just apples, there are local varieties of perry pears and all kinds of stone fruit, both earmarked as future projects to acquire national plant collection status.

It's an exceptional year for fruit* and we had no problem in finding plenty of apples at their peak of perfection to try. I was delighted to see both Ashmead's Kernel and Falstaff in the old orchard as these were two of my favourites on my allotment. We also saw the site's oldest tree, a fine and healthy looking perry pear, probably 200+ years old judging by its size.

* = known as a mast year, which happens around every 4-5 years

Then on to the relatively new part of the orchard, home to the Gloucestershire cultivars. Each one has two trees planted, to guard against any problems encountered. Here we tasted Leathercoat, a fine tasting russet and possibly the oldest variety here with its origins dating back to the 1600s. If you look carefully at the photo you'll also see the Trust's natural lawnmowers, the sheep that help to keep the grass in check so these trees can flourish.

We've made it to the river! We watched its flow turn from a rising tide through high tide and then start to fall. It's a peaceful and atmospheric spot with just whispering reeds and birds forming the soundtrack to the day.

Show me the apples, I hear you say! Well, here's just a few of them in collage form. My thanks to the Trust for hosting and the Garden Media Guild for organising. Oh, and here's a helpful map with origins and descriptions the Trust has put together of the Gloucestershire apple cultivars, some of which hail from closer to me in Chippenham than some of the Wiltshire ones.

From left to right, top to bottom we have: 

• Unknown but delicious (oops my fault!); Leathercoat and Ampney Red - both are Gloucestershire cultivars; 
• Then Pitmaston's Pineapple, Falstaff, and Howgate Wonder in the old orchard; 
• And finally the Ashmead's Kernel tree and the venerable old perry pear tree - both Gloucestershire cultivars and found in the old orchard

Happy Apple Day!