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Fruit varieties
All the fruit is grown on our farm. The fruit is available in all quantities. From the end of October onwards the apples and pears are available in boxes for storage, and in mixed and single variety gift trays for Christmas. Please visit the farm, or telephone us if you wish to make an order.
Apples
(40 varieties grown on the farm available ready picked as follows)
|
Time of year available |
Apple Variety |
Storage Life |
Description |
| October to January | ADAM'S PEARMAIN | February | An attractive, old dessert apple, with a dry, nutty flavour similar to the Russet. A distinctive shape, very narrow base, long apple with a russetted autumn colours on skin. It is picked in early to mid October, and is ready to eat from late October onwards. 'Adam's Pearmain' was first brought to notice in 1826 by Robert Adam under the name of 'Norfolk Pippin', though also known as 'Hanging Pearmain' in Hertfordshire. Parentage: Unknown |
| October to January | ASHMEADS KERNAL | February | A high quality, old dessert apple, with a sweet, slightly acid, highly aromatic flavour, with very firm, crisp, juicy flesh and russetted green/brown skin. It is picked in mid October and ready to eat in late October, November onwards. It was raised in Gloucester by Dr. Ashmead in about 1700, and remained popular in the local area only until 1969 when it received its first national Award of Merit from the RHS. Parentage: origin of the apple is not certain. |
| Late July/August | BEAUTY OF BATH | No more than 3 days | A dessert apple, the flavour is acid with a slight sweet taste. The apple is a flattened shape with pinky red over yellow skin. The flesh is creamy-white coloured, tinged pink, soft and moderately juicy. It is ready to eat in early August , but soften, woolly in days. Beauty of Bath was raised in Bath in the mid 1800s. Parentage: Grown from a seedling. |
| October/November | BELLE DE BOsKSOoP | December | An eating and cooking apple, with a very rich, brisk flavour which sweetly mellows. The skin is a orange red flush with some red stripes over gold with some russetting. It keeps its shape well when cooked and also makes a golden, well flavoured thick puree. It is picked in early October, and is ready to eat from mid October. 'Belle de Boskoop' was discovered in the Netherlands in Boskoop, near Gouda in 1856 and introduced into England in 1897. Parentage: Unknown, thought to be a sport of Reinette de Montford |
| October to February | BLENHEIM ORANGE | April | A old, large dessert apple with a rich, dry, distinctive, very pleasant flavour. The skin has orange flush over greeny yellow background with much russetting patches and veins. The flesh is firm textured. 'Blenheim Orange' was originally found growing at Woodstock near Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire in about 1740 Originally known as Kempster's Pippin, it received the Banksian Silver medal in 1820, after which it started to be grown over a much wider area under its new name. Parentage: Grown from an Unknown seedling. |
| September-March | BRAMLEY (Cookers). | To March | The most well known cooking apple in the UK. It is acid, yet sweet with a good flavour and plenty of juice. It cooks to a pale 'fluff'. The skin is a rich shiny green, occasionally with red flushing - sometimes over much of the apple. It is picked in mid to late September. It was raised from a seed of unknown origin in about 1810 in a garden in Southwell, Nottinghamshire by Betsy Brailsford. It was introduced as a commercial apple by a local nurseryman, Mr. Merryweather. |
| October to December | CHARLES ROSS | To January | A large dessert apple, also useful for cooking since the flesh stays in tact, having an almost pear-like flavour when cooked. The skin has orange flush & broken red stripes over greeny yellow background with some russetting. It is aromatic, firm and juicy, with a coarse texture. Picked in September, it is ready to eat in October onwards after maturing and keeps well. 'Charles Ross', the apple, was raised in England and first exhibited in 1890. Parentage: Peasgood X Cox's Orange Pippin |
| October-January | COX | To February | The most well known dessert apple, with a rich, slightly sweet, almost nutty flavour. The skin is occasionally russetted, with autumnal reds and yellows over green. It is picked in late September but needs to be allowed to mature off the tree before eating. Ready to eat in October. Cox's Orange Pippin was raised in England in about 1825. Several sports of Cox are now grown such as 'Queen Cox' which are sold in many shops but the flavour and texture & keeping qualities are not as good as the original 'Orange Pippin'. Parentage: Said to be a seedling of Ribston Pippin. |
| October on to April/May | CRISPIN | To April | A medium to large dessert apple, very juicy,crisp, light textured, sweet. A conical shape apple with fresh light green skin. It is picked and ready to eat in mid October, keeping until February. The flavour mellows to a richer honey flavour, and the skin turns more yellow with keeping. Some people like to use the crispin for cooking to a fluffy pulp, since it does need sweetening. 'Crispin' originated in Japan under the name of 'Mutsu', first fruiting in 1937. Parentage: Indo X Golden Delicious. |
| November/ December | D'ARCY SPICE | To April | An old dessert apple. The flavour is richly aromatic, sweet, yet acid, though needs a very hot summer to gain the spicy flavour after which it was named. The skin is a bright green/yellow with dark ochre russetting, some dark purple, brown flushing. It is picked in October and ready to eat in November onwards. 'D'Arcy Spice' was found at the Hall, Tolleshunt D'Arcy, near Colchester, Essex in about 1785. Parentage: Unknown |
| August | DISCOVERY | Not more than two weeks | A dessert apple, the flavour is sweet, slightly strawberry, refreshing, though when picked too early, it can be sharp. The skin needs to be rich scarlet red colour with the background a yellow-green before picking. The flesh is creamy-white coloured, tinged pink, crisp and juicy, crisp and juicy. 'Discovery' was raised in Langham in Essex in 1949, originally called 'Thurston August' Parentage: Worcester Pearmain X Beauty of Bath |
| October-January | EGREMONT RUSSET.. | To January | A dessert apple, with a very rich sweet, nutty flavour, with very firm flesh and distinctive thick russeted olive green-brown skin. It is picked and ready to eat in early October, and keeps well to January. The origin of the apple is not certain, but is thought to have been raised in England before 1872. |
| September to February | ELLISON'S ORANGE | To February | A dessert apple, with a very rich and distinctive aniseed flavour and strong vinous aroma. The skin has fine red orange broken stripes over yellow-green background, can be greasy.The apple is crisp when first picked, but softens with keeping. It is picked in late September. 'Ellison's Orange' was raised in England, near Lincoln at the end of the C19th. Parentage: Calville Blanc X Cox's Orange Pippin |
| October on to April / May | ELSTAR | To April | A dessert apple, crisp, juicy light textured, with a rich, sweet, almost honeyed flavour. The skin is a dry yellow colour blushed with red. 'Elstar' was raised in the Netherlands, and introduced to England in 1972. Parentage: Ingrid Marie X Golden Delicious. |
| FIESTA | |||
| October to January | FUKIN - ISHUKI | February | A dessert apple, sweet, juicy, honeyed flavour, like Delicious. Crisp texture. Skin is red to liver colour over fresh green. It is picked in mid to late October keeping until February. 'Fukunishiki' was raised in Japan in 1933, and named in 1949. Parentage: Ralls Janet X Delicious |
| October on to April / May | GALA | To April | A dessert apple, juicy, light textured, with a rich, sweet, almost pear drops flavour. The skin has red to orange flush with red stripes over gold background, with fine russet dots. The flavour can fade with keeping. 'Galar' was originally raised in New Zealand in 1934 and has only recently been grown on a wide scale in England. Parentage: Kidd's Orange Red X Golden Delicious. |
| Late July/August | GEORGE CAVE | Not more than a week | An early dessert apple, the flavour is strong sharp-slightly sweet refreshing and the flesh is creamy-white coloured, crisp and juicy. The skin colour has red flush with carmine over yellow green background. With keeping soon turns soft. 'George Cave' was originally raised in Dovercourt in Essex in 1923 by Mr. George Cave. Parentage: unknown , it was a chance seedling. |
| October on to April/May | GLOSTER | To April | A
large, rich dark crimson coloured dessert apple of conical shape. The
flavour is sweet, briskly pleasant and refreshing with an acid balance,
light textured. It is picked in October and can be kept until April,
although can become soft. 'Gloster' was originally raised in Germany in
1951, grown in England since 1970 Parentage: Richared Delicious X Weisser Winterglockenapf |
| August | GRENADIER (Cookers) | Not more than two weeks | An early cooking apple, the flavour is tangy and honeyed. The flesh is creamy-white coloured, crisp and juicy. The skin is dry, light-leaf green colour. It cooks well to a fluff and makes a good gooseberry flavoured puree. 'Grenadier' was first recorded in 1862 in Maidstone, Kent, though it is thought to have been cultivated for longer. Parentage: unknown |
| October on to April/May | IDA RED | To May | A dessert apple, that cooks well, keeping its form, becoming translucent. The apple is slightly flattened shape, with waxy skin, bright red flush over yellow-green background. The flavour is subtle, but pleasant, firm textured, though it can have quite tough skin. It is picked and ready to eat in late October and keeps very well through until May when it is more valuable for culinary purposes. 'Idared' was originally raised in America in 1935. Parentage: Jonathan X Wagener |
| September | JAMES GRIEVE. | Not more than two weeks, longer in cold storage. | A dessert apple, acceptable also as a cooker. The flavour is sweet, slightly acid, refreshing. The flesh is yellow-white coloured, becoming soft and very juicy. The skin is mainly light yellow with some red stripes, and flushing. The skin becomes greasy with keeping. Though a very well liked apple, it bruises very easily and so is rarely found in the shops. 'James Grieve,' the apple, was raised in Edinburgh, first recorded in 1893. Parentage: Open pollinated from Pott's Seedling X Cox's Orange Pippin |
| October on to April/May | JONAGOLD | To April | A golden coloured dessert apple with orange-red flushing . The flavour is rich and sweet, almost honeyed. The flesh is creamy-white coloured, light, crisp and juicy. It is picked in mid October, and can be kept until April, though the skin can become greasy. Jonagold was originally raised in America in1943. Parentage: Jonathan X Golden Delicious. |
| October on to April/May | KENT | To April | A dessert apple with dark red colour over green background skin, with some russetting. The flavour is pleasantly aromatic, rich sweet with acidity, and mellows well with keeping. The flesh is very firm, heavy, and coarse textured. 'Kent' was originally raised at East Malling, Kent, in 1949, and introduced for growing in 1974. Parentage: Jonathan X Cox's Orange Pippin |
| October to January | KIDD'S ORANGE RED | To January | A dessert apple, with a very rich, very sweet, fine flavour and very firm texture. The skin has a pinky crimson flush, with darker stripes over pale yellow background, and some russet flecks. It is picked in early October, and is ready to eat from mid October. 'Kidd's Orange Red' was raised in New Zealand in 1924 and introduced into England in 1932. Parentage: Delicious X Cox's Orange Pippin. |
| October to December | KING OF THE PIPPINS (Reine des Reinettes) | To January | An old dessert apple, with a distinctive rich, crisp, sweet, slightly nutty flavour. Skin has an orange red flush and red stripes over green-yellow background. Russetted at base with lenticel flecks elswhere. It is picked in early October, and allowed to mature before eating in mid October onwards. 'King of the Pippins' is thought to be of English or French origin from 1770s. Introduced in England by a nurseryman of Brompton. An older name for this apple is 'Golden Winter Pearmain'. Parentage: Unknown. |
| October | LANES PRINCE ALBERT | To February | A cooking apple, with an acid, fine-textured flesh that stays intact when cooked. The skin is shiny rich green with orange-red flushing, and bruises easily, It was raised before 1841 by Thomas Squire in Hertfordshire and introduced in 1850 by a nurseryman, John Lane. He named the apple on the day he transplanted the tree, the same day that Queen Victoria and Prince Albert called at the local Inn for a change of horses. Parentage: Russet Nonpareil X Dumelow's Seedling. |
| October | LAXTON'S EPICURE | To November | A quality dessert apple, sweet, juicy, almost pear flavoured. It is ready to eat in late September. It is a medium to small apple with skin of dark orange red flush, and thick red stripes over green, becoming greasy. Laxton's Epicure was raised in 1909 by the Laxton Brothers of Bedford, and received the Award of Merit from the RHS in 1923. Parentage: Wealthy X Cox's Orange Pippin |
| September to January | LAXTON'S FORTUNE | To February | A dessert apple, sweet with a good acid balance and good aroma. The skin is red flush with red stripes over green/yellow, some russetting. Laxton's Fortune was raised in 1904 by the Laxton Brothers of Bedford, and received the Award of Merit from the RHS in 1932. Parentage: Wealthy X Cox's Orange Pippin |
| September | LORD LAMBOURNE | To December | A dessert apple, acceptable as a cooker in July. The flavour is moderately sweet. The flesh is creamy white coloured, crisp and juicy. The skin has bright red flush with broken red stripes over green/yellow, (some russet dots), can become greasy. 'Lord Lambourne' was raised in Bedford in 1907, and introduced in 1923. Parentage: James Grieve X Worcester Pearmain |
| October to January | PIXIE | January | A small dessert apple. The flavour is richly aromatic, sweet, yet very refreshing. The skin has orange to red flush with red stripes over green/yellow, some russet patches. The flesh is firm, crisp and juicy. It is picked in mid October and ready to eat in November onwards, keeping to March. 'Pixie' was raised at the National Fruit Trials, Kent in 1947 and received its first national Award of Merit from the RHS in 1970. Parentage: Thought to be a seedling of either Cox's Orange Pippin or Sunset. |
| October to February | RIBSTON PIPPIN | To March/April | A dessert apple, crisp, firm with a rich, sweet, yet slightly tangy flavour, richer than Cox. The skin is a brownins orange flush, over yellow/green, ripening to autumnal red over gold, with russet patches. It is picked in September and is ready to eat in October onwards. The tree, thought to date from 1688, was first discovered at Ribston Hall, Yorkshire. Parentage: Unknown, thought to be a seedling from Rouen, France. |
| October on to April/May | RED PIPPIN | To April | A dessert apple, formerly known as 'Fiesta'. This is a fairly new apple to be introduced from Kent. Parentage: It is a cross between IdaRed and Cox's Orange Pippin, and posseses the similar flavour of Cox, whilst having the better cropping and keeping qualities light tang and smoother, slightly tough skin of IdaRed. It is ready to eat mid October, and keeps well to April, though can lose flavour with keeping. The Red Pippin (Fiesta) received a preliminary Award from the RHS in 1987. |
| RUSSET | (see 'Egremont Russet') | ||
| October on to April | SPARTAN. | To February | A dessert apple, juicy, crisp, with a fine, light texture. The flavour is a sweet, rich grape flavour. It has a very deep purple skin. It is picked and ready to eat in mid October onwards. Spartan is of Canadian origin, raised in 1926 and introduced into England in 1936. Parentage: McIntosh X Yellow Newtown Pippin. |
| October / November | STRIPED BEEFING (cookers) | November/ December | A cooking apple, with a rich, brisk flavour which sweetens with keeping. It is a large, smooth, green skinned apple with deep red striping. It cooks to a cream puree, and keeps its form well, making a good flavoured baking apple. The 'Striped Beefing' tree was found in a garden in 1794 in Lakenham, Norfolk. Picked in early to mid October, and keeps well through until April. Parentage: Unknown. |
| December on | SUNTAN | To March | A relatively new dessert apple, slightly sweet, almost nutty flavour, firm coarse texture, similar in texture and flavour to the cox, perhaps with a more acid bite. The skin is dry, autumnal orange, red over gold with russet patches. It is picked in mid October and needs to be left to mature, ready to eat in mid December. 'Suntan' was raised in 1955 at East Malling, Kent and given its RHS Award of Merit in 1980. Parentage: Cox's Orange Pippin X Court Pendu Plat. |
| August | TYDEMAN’S EARLY WORCESTER | Not more than two weeks | A dessert apple, the flavour is sweet, scented. The skin is bright red, with dark red,crimson stripes over yellow. The flesh is yellow-white coloured, and juicy, crisp...but very light in weight. It is ready to eat in mid August. 'Tydeman's' was raised in 1929 in Maidstone, Kent. Parentage: McIntosh x Worcester Pearmain |
| Late July | VISTABELLA | Not more than three days | An early eating apple, the flavour is tangy, slightly sweet. The flesh is white coloured, fairly crisp and juicy though soon becomes soft only days after picking. The skin is smooth, dark red, pink over light green with a bloom over. It was raised in the USA, and introduced in 1974. Parentage: Complicated, involving JulyRed, Williams Early Red, and Starr. |
| October to January | WILLIAM CRUMP | January | A dessert apple of high quality, sweet with an acid balance, crisp and juicy. It is picked in mid October and ready to eat in late October onwards. The skin is a bright orange red flush and stripes over green, yellow and some russetting. It was said to be raised by W.Crump, a distinguished fruit expert, in Malvern, Worcestershire, and exhibited in 1908. Parentage: Cox's Orange Pippin X Worcester Pearmain. |
| September | WORCESTER PEARMAIN | Not more than four weeks | A dessert apple which is rich, sweet with a pleasant well rounded full flavour. The skin is a scarlet red flush and broken stripes over green-yellow background, with russet dots. The flesh is white coloured, crisp, fairly coarse and juicy. It is ready to eat in mid September, though in many shops it is picked too early, which results in the apple being considered inferior to its true flavour. 'Worcester Pearmain' was introduced in 1874 by Messrs Smith of Worcester. Parentage: Thought to be a seedling from a Devonshire Quarrenden |
Pears
(4 varieties grown on the farm. We sell them whilst still hard. We recommend you store them in a cool place such as the fridge, and then remove as many as you require into a warm room where they will take 3 to 4 days to soften)
|
Time of year available |
Pear Variety |
Description |
| October to February/March | COMICE | A very popular, sweet, rich pear. The shape is wide, almost conical.The skin is smooth, light colour, pale gold and pale green patches. It eats well, and is also used to poach. |
| October to February/March | CONCORDE | A high quality pear, with a rich, sweet flavour. The shale is a traditional pear shape, the skin a mottled mixture of gold and greens from light to dark. |
| September to February | CONFERENCE | A rich flavoured pear, perhaps not as sweet and juicy as some, but very popular for its own merit. The shape is a traditional pear shape, perhaps more slender. The skin is a uniform dark green to brown russetting. |
| September | WILLIAMS | An early pear, with rich juicy flavour, good for dessert and for cooking. The shape is a wide, the skin smooth pale green gold. The pear can soon turn over soft and woolly after a week or so of less than ideal storing. |
Plums
(10 varieties of plums, including 1 damson are grown on the farm. We sell them both pick-your own and ready picked. Please note the ripening dates can change from year to year and the size of the crop can sometimes be small. We recommend you telephone us to ensure you know the best time of picking).
|
Time of year available |
Plum Variety |
Description |
| End August | AVALON | A large, well flavoured plum, dark pink skin. |
| Early August | Czar | Czar is a medium to large plum, firm with a purple skin and greenish-yellow coloured flesh. It has a pleasant moderately sweet flavour, and can be used for both eating and cooking. Whilst not being the most delicious of eaters, it is reputed to make the most excellent jam. Raised in Sawbridgeworth, first fruited in 1874. It was named in the honour of the Russian Emperor who was on a visit to England at that time. |
| End July | EARLY RIVERS | Early Rivers (Rivers' Early Prolific) is a small, deep purple skinned plum with a golden-yellow coloured flesh. It has a
very rich flavour, and can be used for both eating and cooking, making an
excellent flavoured jam. The plum can be a little sharp early in the season, but as it becomes very
ripe it becomes sweet. Raised in Sawbridgeworth, first introduced in1830 |
| August | EXCALIBER | A large, popular plum with rose to dark pink skin, it is similar to Victoria but larger, good flavour. |
| September to October | MARJORIE'S SEEDLINGS | An
old English Plum, origin unknown, but is known to have been introduced
to the trade by Burleydam Nurseries, Oaken, Staffordshire. It is a late
plum, maturing in early to mid September. It is fairly large, with dark purple skin and yellow flesh. The flavour is of good merit though not as sweet as some dessert plums. Good for cooking, preserving and eating, |
| August | MISTAKA | A very large, dark plum, of good flavour, sharp for cooking. |
| August | REEVES | A very large, round plum, of excellent, rich, juicy flavour, similar if not richer than Victoria. It has a red to rose coloured skin over green/yellow and look like nectarines growing prolifically without shelter in England! |
| End of July | RIVERS EARLY PROLIFIC | see ' Early Rivers' |
| End of July | SANCTUS HUBERTUS | A large well flavoured plum with yellow to green skin. |
| Early to Mid September | SHROPSHIRE PRUNE DAMSON | An old English Damson, also known as 'Cheshire Damson', or 'Westmorland Damson'. The Parentage is unknown, but it is thought to have been originally found as a wild seedling which has been gathered and cultivated. The flesh is firm and very astringent, with one of the best damson flavours for jam making, and other cooking purposes. |
| August | VICTORIA | 'Victoria'
is a medium to large plum, firm with a yellow to rose coloured skin and
pinkish coloured flesh. It has a rich sweet flavour, and can be used
for both eating and cooking, making very good jam. Thought to be a
chance seedling found in a garden in Alderton, Sussex. It was introduced commercially in about 1840. |
Raspberries & Blackberries
(1 variety of each raspberry and blackberry grown on the farm. We sell them pick your own as well as ready picked. We also freeze them straight from the orchard, for sale from October through Christmas until the following May)
|
Time of year available |
Soft Fruit Variety |
Description |
| August to
October (fresh)
October onwards(frozen) |
Blackberries (Loch Ness) | A large, sweet blackberry of full sweet flavour. They grow on thornless bushes, cropping densely, and are easy to pick. |
| August to
November (fresh)
October onwards (frozen) |
Raspberry (Dinkum) | A late summer-autumn fruiting cane. The raspberry 'Dinkum' has a very rich flavour. |