October is the traditional time of the year we think about the harvest. It is when most of the apple varieties are picked and many of them can be stored a long time. Perhaps we think of harvest at this time of the year because the nights are drawing in, its a sort of closing down for the year.

In reality the harvest period is very wide with soft fruit & cherries in July, Plums in August, early apples & pears in September but theres something evocative about gathering apples in the autumn, on a nice sunny day in October! All those bright colours in the sunshine

To this end we have been attending a few Harvest events in our locality. A special one is Harvestime at the Big Apple, Much Marcle in the heart of an area of many orchards – apple, perry pear, cider in Herefordshire. Lots to do here – places to visit, talks, fruit sales, etc.

On the Nursery, we have put together a display of fruit, mostly apples, from trees on the nursery and the locality. All sorts of colours, sizes, tastes. Some fruit of very long established varieties like Ashmead’s Kernel, Pitmaston Pineapple some of more modern varieties such as red fleshed Red Devil, very productive Red Falstaff, Topaz.

We will endeavour to maintain this display as long as we can into November when space will be required as we start to dispatch trees. You are most welcome to call in if you are nearby or are passing. We are open 9.30 -5pm and Saturdays 10-1pm (from Sat 19 Oct)