The Journal gives a weekly update on events in our English apple orchards, using pictures and video clips to follow seasonal activities and giving the consumer a level of detail not available from any other source.
All aspects of growing, harvesting, storage, grading, packing and marketing are included enabling consumers to understand the challenges English growers face in supplying our sophisticated market place.
This week The English Apple Man continues with more information from last week's BAPL Niab research meeting
Below: Rachel McGauley - Overview of how BAPL research is supporting apple and pear growers, reviewing the BAPL research programme which she manages
Overview of how BAPL research is supporting apple and pear growers (Rachel McGauley
British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) is a grower-funded, not-for-profit organisation that represents all commercial apple and pear growers in the UK.
BAPL activities include industry representation, government liaison, data gathering and consumer awareness raising and promotion.
The organisation also funds much-needed research and development to protect our wonderful crop. 
BAPL Board
The BAPL Niab Apples & Pears Technical Day Apple held at the NIAB EMR Mumford Building at East Malling on Monday 10th February was very informative and also very enjoyable, as the group of presenters eloquently delivered a fascinating insight into the science and technology becoming available to our apple & pear industry.
Welcoming attendees present at NIAB and via ZOOM were Ali Capper Chief Executive BAPL, NIAB Chief Executive Professor Mario Caccamo, (Hutchinsons Agronomist) Rob Saunders in his capacity as Chair of the BAPL R&D Group, Scott Raffle Senior Knowledge Exchange Manager - East Malling and Rachel McGauley, BAPL who took the lead introducing the day's speakers.
Ambition
Our ambition is for at least 60% of apples sold in the UK to be British by 2035. Today, British apples represent less than 40% of all apples sold in the UK, despite being our national fruit.
Activities
BAPL activities include industry representation, government liaison, data gathering and consumer awareness raising and promotion. The organisation also funds much-needed research and development to protect our wonderful crop. View our latest news articles for more.
British Apples & Pears is also part of Horticulture Crop Protection (HCP) Limited, which is a collaboration between all major horticulture crop associations.
In The English Apple Man Journal, I write extensively about apples, and some times 'touch on Pears' - this week we will exclusively look at pears
Utilising The British Apples and Pears (BAPL) website and the wealth of information on the history of pears, which takes us back to 2000BC as a starting point, moving on through the centuries until today and drawing on Joan Morgan's highly informative The Book of Pears and adding a bit of my own experience we will demonstrate the fruit described as: Pear as the Golden one if Apple is the Silver
Click on: The History of Pears
2000 BC
It is thought that pears originated in the Caucasus from where they spread to Europe and Asia and that they were first cultivted 4000 years ago.
PRESENT DAY
Today around 8% of all pears sold in the UK are British. Tree spacings have been reduced to increase productivity per hectare and pruning has been altered to allow more light in to trees. The most modern systems are based on plantings of 3000 trees per hectare, or more!
Feeding the needy is now a highly motivated activity. Groups across the country gather and distribute precious surplus food from Supermarkets, Farms, Food producing factories etc.
This week, The English Apple Man features City Harvest where my friend and former Executive Chair of The National Fruit Show Sarah Calcutt is CEO.
Sarah brings her 'positive energy' to her new role leading this dynamic provider of healthy food to the needy in London.
City Harvest London rescues nutritious surplus food from farms, manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers, and delivers it, for free, to over 123,000 a week via organisations feeding those facing food poverty. City Harvest rescues food, people, and the planet by preventing food waste, providing life-changing support to communities across London through food, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from waste.
City Harvest is London's first last-mile food rescue organisation, founded in 2014 after operating for 4 years as UR4Driving project which was run by Mark Harvey and Bruce Marquart. A group of individuals, including Laura Winningham OBE (CEO), began the organisation to address high levels of unused, but perfectly edible, food surplus that was being wasted by food businesses across London.
Click on: City Harvest story and Video
Last month, the government announced a new £15 million fund to prevent thousands of tonnes of food that might otherwise go to waste be sourced and delivered to those who need it most.
Sarah Calcutt, City Harvest CEO, was interviewed on BBC Radio London about the potential benefits that the new £15m government fund could have in our mission to rescue food, people and the planet.
With an estimated 330,000 tonnes of edible food either wasted or repurposed as animal feed before leaving farm gates every year, charities like City Harvest could put this waste to better use with that redistribution process.
Across the UK, the cost-of-living crisis has created a food emergency. Currently, 1 in 5 people in London are struggling to afford to eat, yet 1/3 of all food goes to waste. City Harvest rescues nutritious food from going to waste and we need your help to get it to those communities who rely on our support.
British Apples and Pears Update 2025
Food price inflation - a warning about what to expect in 2025
Data from Andersons Farm Consulting, commissioned by British Apples & Pears, has revealed the cost of producing a kilo of apples has risen by 5.3% this year
The cost of producing a kilogramme of apples is expected to rise by 7p this year due to recent budget announcements, new analysis has revealed.
The data from Andersons Farm Consulting, commissioned by British Apples & Pears, has revealed the cost of producing a kilo of apples will rise by 5.3% from £1.33 to £1.40.
The grower group said this was directly related to recent government policy announcements around labour costs and predicted that apple and pear growers were facing a 10% increase in labour costs - which represent 50% of the total costs of producing the crop.
In the autumn budget, the government announced the National Insurance rate for employers would increase from 13.8% to 15%, while the threshold on employee earnings at which NI applies would reduce from £9,100 to £5,000.
BAP warned that food price rises in 2025 were "now an inevitable consequence of recent government policy".
"Growers' margins have been stripped to the bone, so these increases in the cost of producing British apples and pears will have to be passed on to retailers, who have already said they will have to pass on wage rises to consumers," said Ali Capper, executive chair of BAP.
"Shoppers will end up paying more for their fresh apples and pears," added Capper. "Food price inflation is a direct consequence of government policy."
This echoes similar warnings from the NFU last week. Martin Emmett, NFU horticulture and potatoes board chair, said government policy added unexpected and "very significant" extra costs on to the already struggling horticulture sector.
Emmett said some of the NFU's members were already reducing working hours to offset the additional costs, and in the most extreme cases redundancies were now being considered.
"These changes will impact growers, retailers, shoppers and could even tip the country into recession as consumer demand declines in the face of price rises," said Capper. "On top of that, growers are now facing the costs associated with the newly proposed changes to Inheritance Tax.
"The costs associated with tax planning will also have to be priced in for the future."
As another new year gets under way and in our orchards growers are busy with winter pruning, one very important role which is not highlighted enough is that of our agronomists. There are several high profile Agronomy services supporting our growers and indeed farmers in general.
In 'many years gone by - ' back in my youth, representatives of chemical supply companies would call on my father, have a chat, take a stroll in some orchards, maybe even stop for lunch or at the very least a cup of tea or coffee, all very enjoyable; "of course fruit growing was still quite profitable in those far off halcyon days (circa 60 - 70 years ago)
Today; a quarter of a century into this millennium, it is all so different. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is the Modus Operandi.
Highly trained agronomists visit growers and discuss and the plans for the coming season. Maintaining a crop free of pest and/or disease is not easy; the weapons which would have been used 70 years ago are now long gone and materials kind to the environment are the status quo.
Biologicals and predators are the way forward and need vigilant examination of pest and disease present and accurate weather forecasts to ensure the efficacy of any applications.
An increasing reliance on predictive computer software is central to the agronomists tools, more accurate weather forecasting allows more effective application of protectants against apple scab.
With new methods of pest/disease control, the regular 'crop walking' by experienced agronomists if ESSENTIAL in the production of a healthy harvest.
The English Apple Man is very lucky to be friends with many brilliant agronomists who support our fruit industry with their expertise.
Occasionally these stars of 'Agronomy' move from one team to another, and I heard this week that one of my friends has ventured to pastures new!
January is a time for Conferences and this week The Oxford farming Conference 2025 is taking place
The 2025 conference is taking place from 8 to 10 January 2025. The event will be delivered as a hybrid, with the option to attend physically in Oxford or Online, with all main sessions at the Oxford Examination Schools live streamed for media.
Princess Anne looks set to keep her record as the 'hardest-working royal' as she carried out her first engagement on Thursday, marking her return to royal duties following the Christmas break.
Anne, 74, is the Honorary President of the Oxford Farming Conference and in her duties the royal attended their annual conference. The royal was seen arriving at the conference wearing a green tartan jacket which featured a stunning emerald brooch. Anne also wore a navy skirt and tights alongside a pair of black boots as she greeted representatives.
Well here we are, moving steadily into a new year!
For the past few days I have been pondering; "What to write about this week?
With a touch of irony, I picked up a short YouTube story on LINKEDIN on Thursday morning featuring Kyle Mathison from Stemilt in Wenatchee, Washington State USA, referencing Cherries, a major pert of the family business; Stemilt
His subject SNOW - "The deeper the better"
Click on: Kyle Mathison explains benefit of winter snow
Meet a man who certainly needs no introduction. Known for his blue jean overalls, ponytail and passion for nurturing his fruit trees, fourth generation farmer Kyle Mathison gets up each day with one mission in mind - to grow World Famous fruit.
The subject seemed a perfect story as back in early November 2001, "just a couple of months after the day that became 9/11 and shook the world, I visited Stemilt as part of my technical role with Worldwide Fruit Ltd with colleagues from WFL we accompanied Sainsburys Organic Fruit buyer and Technical Manager regarding the importation of Organic Apples from Stemilt". I have never forgotten that visit as the scale of Stemilt "blew the mind away"
After a long build up to Christmas, 'which seems to start back in September in the high street and garden centres, it's gone again for another year, as always there is lots of stuff left in the larder. Cakes, mince pies, sweets of various types, and the wine rack with bottles left to open!
It's always the case; but the left overs from Christmas festivities enhance January as all these goodies are gradually consumed. Today I'm looking forward to a slice of Christmas cake with my afternoon 'cup of tea' and in the evening I'll wind down with a glass (or two) of Port.
With just 5 more days until 2026 arrives this indulgence will no doubt 'broaden the waste line'
Reflecting on the past year, and what a year, globally war is a never ending 'black cloud' on all our horizons; why can't we live in peace?
With just 5 days until Christmas Day, The English Apple Man is in nostalgic mood.
As we prepare for the impending event, (my wife and I) All the Christmas cards written (by my wife) during November and now sent to family and friends, all with second class stamps affixed; just as well as 100 cards with £80 worth of stamps attached
Looking back over the 60+ years we have been married, lots of changes spring to mind!
In 1963 when we married a 1st Class stamp cost 3d for 1 oz raised to 4d for 2oz in 1965
2nd class stamps were not introduced until 16th September 1968!
1968 1st class 5d 2nd class 4d
Decimalisation UK 1971 was the change of the British currency system from pounds, shillings and pence to a decimal system of 100 new pence to the pound. The change took place on 15 February 1971, which was known as Decimal Day. The change affected the entire nation, as people had to learn a new way of valuing everything.....
1971 1st class 3p and 2nd class 2.5p
1975 1st class 8.5p 2nd class 6.5p
2000 1st class 27p 2nd class 19p
The first postage stamp was introduced in 1840 at 1d (penny black) still 1d in 1897 and raised to 1.5d in 1918 - Today the 1st Class stamp costs £1.65p and the 2nd class stamp 80p
For those to young to have experienced £ s d - (that's pounds, shillings & pence) a pound was divided into 240 pennies (d) and after decimalisation 100 pennies to the pound £ so a new penny is worth 2.5 old pennies (d) and in those days Dad would notionally value each class 1 apple at 'one shilling' = to 5p today!
"The British pre-decimal penny was a denomination of sterling coinage worth 1/240 of one pound or 1/12 of one shilling. Its symbol was d, from the Roman denarius".
This page initially shows the latest journals. You can use a journal's link to view the full story.
It is now much easier to find a particular journal of interest. Just type your search terms into the search box or select the month and/or year and click Submit.
I have completed the process of reworking my entire archive of journal pages into the style of the new website to make them more accessible to users of mobile phones etc.
Although the content now adapts to the size of the display, some of the archived journals still have photographs that won't fit and so get cropped. Archived journals are best viewed on a computer screen!