Herefordshire rekindles historic link with apples

Herefordshire’s historic connection to apple trees will be rekindled as part of a special initiative aimed at safeguarding and promoting the County’s heritage.

Herefordshire Council’s Parks and Countryside Service will stage an apple tree sale when ancient varieties once commonplace in the rural landscape go on sale.

Under the Fruit Tree Kit Scheme, orchard apple trees as well as garden trees will be available to buy at Queenswood Country Park, near Leominster, on Saturday November 26 and Sunday November 27, between 10am – 3pm.
 
The trees, which are about 18 months old and cost £9 each, come in a kit which includes a tree tie.

James Bisset, Principal Countryside Officer, said: “The scheme aims to help people source old apple varieties that were once grown in many of the County’s orchards, but that are now quite rare and difficult to obtain commercially. 

“It has been developed in recognition of the importance of traditional standard orchards planted with locally distinctive fruit as both a feature of the Herefordshire landscape and a valuable habitat for wildlife, as well as the basis of many local customs and the culture of the County.”

Orchard varieties on sale are the Edward VII - Blenheim Orange cross, a cooker/dessert apple from Barbourne, Worcester.

Gladstone – a dessert apple found in a nursery field at Blakedown, Kidderminster in 1868.

Lady Sudeley – an early dessert apple named after the Sudeley Estate in the Cotswolds and Wyken Pippin, a late dessert apple thought to be raised in 1700 from an imported pip by Lord Craven at Wyken Hall, Coventry. 

Garden varieties on sale include Beauty of Bath, Ellison’s Orange, Lodgemore Non Pareil and Tydemans Early Worcester.

This year there is also another chance to purchase a ‘Herefordshire Russet’ for your garden. 

The Russet is the first new Herefordshire apple variety for decades, having first gone on sale last year following it’s development by Frank P Matthews of Tenbury Wells, after many years of careful selection and propagation.

“The Herefordshire Russet combines the best russet nuttiness with crisp creamy flesh, balanced mouth tingling acidity and a seemingly endless supply of rich apple juice,” added Mr Bisset.

“The classic golden-russeted skin with a greeny-yellow under colour is thin and crunchy.

“Combine all this in a hand-sized apple from a regular cropping and disease resistant tree and I believe you’ve the finest dessert apple available today - and you can cook with it too.

“Fruit trees are pretty hardy once they have taken root and, like any type of tree, people should be aware of the size that different species grow to against the space they have available.”

As part of the Fruit Tree Kit Scheme, Herefordshire Council has offered financial grants to help replant orchards as well as stage a series of educational events through The Marcher Apple Network.

Apples continue to play an important part in Herefordshire’s economy with many producers supplying restaurants, hotels and supermarkets.

Hereford-based cider-making company Bulmers also uses thousands of locally produced apples.

For more details about the Fruit Tree Kit Scheme contact Queenswood Country Park on (01568) 798342.

Queenswood Country Park is located off the A49, on Dinmore Hill, between Hereford and Leominster.