…..crunch it, juice it, cook it, Cake, Cider, Chutney, Compote, Crumble, sauce, soup or all mixed up!……
The saving grace of Autumn, as the long warm sunny days ebb away is the promise of the Apple harvest. Thankfully this year we look set for a bumper crop. Apple size may be a little small this year due to light rainfall over the gorgeous summer so we will not complain about that. In my village already surplus apples and windfalls are placed in baskets at the garden gate for sharing. What a great idea, there is plenty to go round. And it’s all good news for wildlife and the kitchen too.
Apples are ready for harvest when gently twisted they come gently away in your hand. The wind is already on the case and the great big drop has begun! I collect up the best, but like to leave some on the ground for visiting wildlife. If the wasps have apples to occupy them they are not trying to get indoors. Once the windfalls have been softened by the first frosts you will be amazed by the birds that will flock to your garden to eat them up. Last year we had countless black birds and thrushes visiting, and it was a delight to be able to observe them at such close quarters.
Apples are very popular in my kitchen. The first batch of Apple Chutney is already maturing. I love the Avoca Café Cookbook (2000) recipe (www.avoca.ie) which is a doddle to make and versatile to use. Wonderful with cheese and cold meats and keeps brilliantly. Every year I like to try a new apple recipe (yep low boredom threshold…) I have come across this one, Orchard ice cream, by Mark Diacono in his book Fruit (2011) River Cottage Handbook No 9. (shop.otterfarm.co.uk)
I was recently given the Apple Source Book (2008) by a friend and it has been a fascinating read. It is described as a ‘philosophical and practical guide to growing apples communally or for yourself, eating them simply or in style whilst enriching both our culinary and cultural landscapes’ Did you know that nearly 3000 apple varieties can be grown across our regions. Check out the Apples of Dorset p189 in the Gazetteer of Local Varieties section. How many do you already know? Apple day, October the 21st every year, is an annual celebration of apple, orchards and local distinctiveness. Initiated by Common Ground in 1990 it has since been celebrated each year by people organising hundreds of local events. Try and get involved in an Apple day near you this October. The 6th annual Bridport Community Orchard Apple day will take place from 11am to 3pm on October 19, 2013. There will be Apple juice to taste and buy, cider, ploughman’s lunches; children’s activities, including pond dipping and storytelling. Bridport Community Orchard, South Street (behind St Marys Church) Bridport.
Now is the time to order orchard trees for planting in the late autumn. Whether you shop online or visit your local nursery aim to select a local variety. Take the time to plan. Do you want dessert or cooking apples, or better still both! Which are likely to grow best in your garden given the condition of your soil and the space you have available, and the likelihood of late frosts in your area? Speak to the experts in your local nursery. Apple trees come grafted on a range of rootstocks, which govern their ultimate size. Many will need to be pollinated in order to set fruit, so selecting a compatible tree that flowers at the same time in very important. Apples fruit form late July to October, ad many store well right into the new year. The good news is that there will be an apple that will thrive in your garden. They are easy to grow and hugely rewarding.
Marie McLeish is a gardening coach based in west Dorset. To find out more or to get in touch please email; [email protected]
Twitter @MyGardenCoachUK
