Featured

Nov 28 2010

Looking for Medlars

Medlars are one of our ancient British fruits making a come back.

During the middle ages, people would have been very familiar with this strange looking small fruit which is actually eaten in it’s over ripe or “bletted” stage.

No longer in commercial cultivation, old gardens are generally home to the only trees in the UK. Some of these trees will be about two hundred years old.

Tracklements Ltd. in Wiltshire have launched a delicious new Medlar Jelly. Great with turkey, pheasant or game it is perfect for the Christmas table or the cold cuts’ table for left-over meat.

The medlars for this jelly were picked by the kind people int he surrounding area. You can see pictures of the donatees and picking adventures on their facebook page.

Tracklements started a quest to find some of these ancient medlar trees and the option of taking the unused fruit in return for finished product.

BBC Countryfile heard of this project and joined them picking for a day.

Put your fruit to work

We are aware that there are various food producers around the UK who will take in unused fruit from gardens and orchards in return for a quantity of finished product.

It would be handy for producers and growers if we could create a database of people willing to link up and put the country’s unused fruit to good use. If you are interested in joining our list then please contact us via the comments section at the end of this post.

More information

Common Medlar – More information about the Common Medlar

Tracklements Ltd

BBC Countryfile

Oct 28 2010

Countryfile Adam is Champion

BBC Countryfile presenter Adam Henson, who own and runs the Cotswold Farm Park was crowned Champion of the Year at the annual farmers Weekly Awards.

The Farmers Weekly Champion of the Year award is presented annually to an individual who has shown outstanding commitment to communicating farming to the public. Adam collected his award at this years’ ceremony, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Peter Kendall, the NFU president, praised Adam for his dedication and down-to-earth approach.

North Ronaldsay Sheep in their native Orkney Isles

Through the BBC Countryfile programme, Adam brought the trials and tribulations of farming life to the public eye. His constant battle with Bovine TB was made even more poignant when some of his rare breed cattle and one of his oxen had to be slaughtered.

Adam Henson runs a mixed arable and animal farm in the Cotswolds and the arm is famous for it’s rare breed conservation work.

Cotswold Farm Park is home to many rare animal breeds including, White Park cattle, oxen and North Ronaldsay Sheep. The farm is open to the public from March to October.

More information

Cotswold Farm Park

BBC Countryfile

Farmers Weekly interactive

Sep 26 2010

WW2 Apples from Rimini

A small orchard of apple trees is a poignant reminder of the lives torn apart by war and a new life forged in a foreign land.

Apple orchard at the Ukrainian Chapel, Dumfries — 70 year old trees, miles from home

During World War II, hundreds of Ukrainian men were forced to join the German Army. As POW’s, some of them were brought to Scotland from Rimini in Italy.

One of the POW’s, Mr Fallat, brought with him three matchboxes full of seeds.

He said;

“Where this orchard is, will be home”

The apple trees are being carefully tended by the custodians of the Hallmuir Ukrainian Chapel and are still cropping prolifically today.

The Ukrainian Chapel at Hallmuir, just outside Lockerbie, is a carefully preserved remnant of a 40 strong hut complex, designed to house over 400 Ukrainian POW’s, who would never see their home or families again.

Italian apples

Italy is Europe’s largest producer of apples fruit, and is the third largest in the world after China and the United States.

The European Commission for apples has in fact awarded Italy with three Designations of Protected Origin.

More Information

Heritageandhistory.com – Ukrainian Chapel, Lockerbie

Italtrade.com – The Made in Italy official portal – Italian apples galore.

DPcamps.org – Rimini Displaced Persons Camp

Sep 06 2010

First Heritage Apple Crop

Our three year old heritage apple trees have yielded their first fruits this year and the taste is out of this world!.

September has arrived and with it, the first crop of apples from our recently planted heritage apple orchard and although the yield is

not vast, the taste and quality of the fruit cannot compare to the bland supermarket varieties.

We planted five eating apples and five cooking apples, all of varieties suited to a northern climate and all grafted onto dwarf rootstock, which should give us more manageable plants.

Our apples were supplied by Adam’s Apples in Devon and we sought their advice on the best varieties suited to our region which would tolerate being grown as cordons or small trees. On tasting, I have to say, the selection is outstanding; the eating apples have such diverse flavours and colours and the cooking apples have wonderful textures and flavours.

The crop this year has not been big enough to store but some of the cooking apples have been prepared for the freezer and should last well into the winter.

We always garden organically, using no pesticides or fungicides and as a result, one or two of the fruits may have the occasional blemish but these are nothing more than slight skin imperfections and in no way detract from the flavour of the fruits.

The trees will be given a good mulch and feed this winter and we look forward to next year’s crop.

More information

Adam’s Apples – Talaton plants in Devon supply a huge range of heritage apple varieties along with very helpful advice and expertise.

Aug 18 2010

Tomato Show at West Dean

The Totally Tomato Show at West Dean Gardens on 4–5 September 2010, is a real treat for the taste buds and guarantees handy hints and top growing tips for professional and amateur gardeners alike.

More than 150 varieties of tomatoes will be on show along with cookery demos, tastings, tomato-related produce for sale and not forgetting the tomato growing competitions.

Tomato competitions

Set in the stunning grounds of West Dean Gardens, the Totally Tomato Show offers a great day out for all tomato-lovers.

The tomato festival takes place at the start of September

Tomato growers will have the chance to enter their produce in the Tastiest Tomato Competition and, new for this year, the Heaviest Tomato Competition (run in conjunction with the British Tomato Growers’ Association).

The competitions are open to anyone – can the amateur gardeners beat the professionals at their own game?

For the 2010 competition there will be three categories for different sizes of fruit, with the winner of each category receiving an engraved plaque together with an entry voucher to West Dean Gardens.

The winners will then be judged against each other to decide on the overall champion and recipient of the Len Summerton Cup.

Which? Gardening

From the eclectic mix of stall holders at this year’s show, Which? Gardening is a must for those in search of a taste sensation.

Richard Gianfrancesco from Which? Gardening, brings several varieties of tomatoes to the show each year to conduct tests and trials.

“The tomatoes are rated on yield and quality,” says Richard. “The show is full of real enthusiasts who are keen to taste our wares so it’s the perfect opportunity for us to get valuable feedback.”

This year Richard will be taking 18 varieties of cherry plum tomatoes to the show.

Organic gardening

For those of you in search of organic growing tips and produce, then head for the Chichester Organic Gardening Society stall.

Committee Member, Gina Carrington, says, “The show always has a great atmosphere and it’s a fantastic opportunity to give the public a chance to sample organic produce and learn how to grow organically.” Gina and other members will be running regular tasting sessions and will be on hand for any advice or tomato growing queries.

West Dean’s Totally Tomato Show is an unusual and fun day out with lots of food to taste and products to buy, growing advice and complimentary access to West Dean Gardens, Arboretum and Park and if you think you’ve got the tastiest and/or heaviest tomato then fill in an entry form and come on down!

Event details

Please note, only assistance dogs are allowed into events.

West Dean College is situated on the A286, six miles north of Chichester and six miles south of Midhurst.

Admission to the Totally Tomato Show is £7.50 for adults plus concessions. Fast-track tickets are available to purchase in advance at www.westdean.org.uk. The event is open between 10.30am and 5pm (last entry 4.30pm).

Competition entry forms

For more information please phone 01243 818210 or visit www.westdean.org.uk/gardens to download an entry form. Forms are also available on the British Tomato Growers’ Association website.