Brogdale Farm, the home of the National Fruit Collection is always an interesting visit and recently The English Apple Man visited with two old (well not that old) friends Neil Franklin and Geoff Briggs.
Neil is in a 'semi retired state' after more than 30 years as an Agronomist advising fruit growers and Geoff is an old colleague of mine (the EAM) from my days at HGF (now morphed into) Worldwide Fruit Ltd. Geoff is also retired and now enjoys his hobbies, especially local walking routes with Neil or his family.
Below: L-R. The English Apple Man, Neil Franklin, Geoff Briggs & Neil's favourite handbook published in 1954 (before he was born) and I am very jealous because it's not in my collection!
Neil and Geoff have been friends for 40 years and Neil spent a couple of years at HGF with Geoff from 1984 before becoming an Agronomist with AGRI in 1989.
Neil still works two days a week for AGRI and is a trustee and part time guide at Brogdale and The National Fruit Collection
My visit was initiated by an invitation from Neil to meet up with Geoff, enjoy a cuppa tea and a natter, before a tour of the NFC (kindly driven by Neil as my body is not up to a walking tour).
Today the NFC holds 2,100 varieties of apple. Each variety in duplicate to cover the possibility of one 'suffering a tragedy'
To use the National Fruit Collection search engine click on National Fruit Collection
History of National Fruit Collection
I only feature some of the fruits and varieties we saw, because using the NFC website is the best way of interrogating the 'depth of the collection'
Brogdale Collections is the home of the National Fruit Collection and works to provide access and education about the National Fruit Collection. Set in over 150 acres of farmland, we have over 3000 varieties of fruit trees here from apples, pears, quinces, and plums to cherries and more. The Collections orchards are a living history & heritage of fruit.
As we drove around the collection, it was easy to see why Neil has become a NFC guide (in addition to being a trustee) his knowledge of the fruits and varieties is 'encyclopaedic' - whether it be apples, pears, plums, cherries, nuts et al. clearly a passion.
I will only mention some of the items we stopped at: apple varieties range from very early to very late maturing, so some are already gone, some in the process of dropping off and some well off the harvest date. We saw Plums, and tasted one or two, we tried the Damson Merryweather Damson culinary plum which was 'very flavoursome' - Raised at Merryweather's nurseries, Southwell, Nottinghamshire and introduced in 1907.
Below: left. Damson Merryweather tree in the collection and right. library picture of Damson Merryweather fruit
Below: left. Cox Orange Pippin and right. Alkmene (renamed for the UK market as Early Windsor)
Below: left. an example of trees still carrying fruit and an earlier variety with all on the ground
Below: left. St. Edmund's Pipin and right. St. Edmund's Pippin apples (library picture)
Below: Peasegood's Nonsuch and right. Red apple
Below: left. Hazelnuts and Cobnuts plot and right. An old Cherry orchard
Below: Left. Pyrus salicifolia an ornamental pear tree and right. Pyrus salicifolia Fruit (not to be eaten)
Pyrus salicifolia - willow-leaved pear - A spreading, deciduous tree to 8m, with lance-shaped, willow-like, grey-felted leaves 9cm long. Creamy-white spring blossom is followed by small, pear-shaped, green fruit other common names
willow leaf pear. Potentially harmful - Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling Pets: Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
It should be noted: the Ornamental Pear Pyrus salicifolia is separate from the collection, away from the self guided tour route
The tours, guided or unguided are enhanced by many 'information boards.
Below: left. Cherry history information board and right. Plum board
There is so much one could write about the Brogdale Farm National Fruit Collection and activities available on site. Below a link to a visit I made in 2013 with my friend from The Himalayas
Click on: The English Apple Man meets The Himalayan Apple Man at Brogdale Farm in 2013
That is all for this week
Take care
The English Apple Man