Chris is getting Fruity

This week we are in the final stages of planting our latest project, our Orchard.  We’ve been planting a variety - apple trees, plus some pear and plum trees too, but mainly apples. It’s a freezing cold February day and it’s blowing a gale, yet that isn’t stopping the team and the last batch of trees are being planted. The wind chill here is made even worse by how close we are to the sea, but hopefully the trees will love the sea air. The view from the field is spectacular as the ground is rather high, we can see the menacing sea, today its rather dark and the wind is whipping around so the trees will need to be tough cookies to survive these Northern temperatures!

The apples are mainly Old English varieties which will be able to withstand our climate. It’s very interesting that the arborist we have helping us has researched extensively before organising the purchase of the trees. He looked up about Northumbrian monasteries and which variety of apple trees that they grew in their gardens and orchards (there are records available) in order that we keep the tree varieties as local as is possible in this modern world. I really think that this was a fantastic touch from him; not only is the orchard true to its Northumbrian roots (ha ha), but it also means that they’re the most likely to thrive in Northeast England without the need for too many chemicals or modern interventions. 

For the green fingered among you who may want to know which apple trees we are actually growing I’ve got Chris to write me a list (it’s much harder than it sounds). We have Permian’s, Cox’s, Howgate Wonder and Grenadeer amongst the varieties that are being planted today, and I know that in the 400 or so trees we have about fifteen different varieties of apple alone – Chris may be nearly losing count now!

It’ll be about three years before we see any apples of any significance but one day, hopefully, we will be selling our own home-grown apples in our shop. Chris has ideas of juicing them too and I’m well aware of the YouTube videos he’s been watching about Cider making and Apple Brandy too, so maybe we will have Farm Cider available too. Whatever happens we will have a fabulous legacy of a farm orchard (not many people can say that!) that will outlive us all. Indeed, our arborist organises tree planting all over Northumberland and has done for many years, but this is his first ever orchard! I’ve really enjoyed seeing him and Chris both be so passionate about this project together, and can’t wait to watch it, quite literally, flourish.

I’ll be posting updates about the trees and their progress but it’s looking rather good already, that reminds me, I promised Chris an apple crumble!