Orchards, Trees & Orchard ProduceBedfordshire Information
Orchards, Trees & Orchard Produce
Bedfordshire Information
The East of England Apples and Orchards Project began life as the Norfolk Apples and Orchards project and was set up to promote a greater awareness of Norfolk's apple heritage. It has recently extended its brief to cover the other Eastern counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Lincolnshire and Suffolk. They are surveying the areas’ existing orchards and helping to establish new orchards with Eastern county varieties - they produce a most comprehensive range of local apples and pears. Contact them for details of price and stock availability. They also organise Apple Day celebrations and attend other Apple Day events offering identification, advice and displays of varieties. Contact Clare Stimson or Martin Skipper at 3 High House Cottages, Weasenham Road, Litcham, Kings Lynn PE32 2RY, or call +44(0)1328 838403, and take a look at the project web-site.
Slow Food Bedford, Sue Miller, Convivium Leader, Director. See www.slowfoodbedford.co.uk - email slowfoodbedford [at] @ntlworld.com (07753 780607)
Orchards and Community Orchards to visit
Bromham Mill, a restored 17th century water mill on the River Ouse. A nearby apple orchard was used to provide wood for the mill’s gear teeth. Contact: 01234 824330 or see their web-site.
Corn Close Community Orchard, Church Lane, Riseley, Bedford (between the church and the new vicarage). A 1ha orchard planted in the early 1990s by a parishioner who leased the field and planted bush apple trees in two thirds of the field and offered the rest as an overflow car park for the church and for outdoor activities. Varieties include Bramley, James grieve, Howgate Wonder, Ashmead’s kernel, Sunset, Suntan, Grenadier and Laxton’s Epicure a local variety. Hedges are periodically layed, pathways through the long grass are mown but most is left uncut. Common Spotted Orchid have appeared along with many other wild plants. Scrumping by locals is encouraged. A local group for people with learning difficulties pick apples for sale and for juicing. When there is a good harvest apples are sold at the local greengrocer, in a box scheme, and for used for cidermaking. Contact: Mark Powell, 15 Rotten Row, Riseley, Bedford MK44 1EJ, +44(0)1234 709206 / 07885 322270.
Great Billington Community Orchard, Leighton Buzzard. Three orchards were planted in the village to celebrate the Millennium, between 1998 – 2000 with many Bedfordshire varieties. Apple Day is celebrated every two years, and more events are planned for when the orchard matures. Contact: Michael Grant, Burcott, Little Billington, Leighton Buzzard, Beds LU7 9BP, +44(0)1525 373552.
Mowsbury Hill Community Orchard, Bedford. Small 1930s remnant orchard which has had some restorative work carried out by the Borough Council and 40 new trees planted. It is situated on a hill part of which is an Iron Age Hill Fort with medieval moat. Contact: Nick Hall, Conservation Officer, Bedford Borough Council, Town Hall, St Paul’s Square, Bedford MK40 1SH, +44(0)1234 267407.
Park Wood LNR and Orchard, Brick Hill Drive, Bedford. For almost 100 years the Laxton family raised scores of fruit varieties in Bedford. “On the edge of the town is an allotment and a further 4.6 hectares (11.5 acres) of land which was originally set aside for allotments but was never taken up. This land naturally regenerated with ash and hawthorn forming a rich habitat. In 1997 the area was designated a Local Nature Reserve by Bedford Borough Council and local residents have taken an active part in managing it. In l999 part of the area which was rough grassland was set aside for a new Community Orchard, intended to conserve local fruit varieties, benefit wildlife and provide something good to eat. It was decided to stock the orchard with fruit trees developed by the famous Laxton brothers, the horticulturists who were based in Bedford from 1860 until 1957. Here they developed many award-winning fruits and Thomas Laxton (1830-93) even conducted experiments on hybridisation for Charles Darwin. Sadly nothing remains of the Laxtons in Bedford apart from a few street names that were built on the nurseries themselves. The once great apple and pear varieties are now rarely heard of and are practically unobtainable. The new orchard has two specimens of all the Laxtons apple trees and many of the pear varieties too, including very old ones like William Peddy. There are also figs, greengages, plums, damsons, mulberry, medlar, quince and walnuts. There are now 231 trees in the orchard, all taken from cuttings from the fruit tree collection at Brogdale Horticultural Trust in Kent. All the famous Laxton varieties are here including Laxton’s Superb, Lord Lambourne and Laxton’s Fortune. A local nursery, Rivers Lane in Huntingdon, have done all the grafting for us, using two generations of family expertise in fruit tree grafting and even supplying us with a Laxton’s variety that was never grown commercially. In another few years the new orchard will be bearing fruit, the rows of trees already look impressive even though we have had problems with water-logging in the winter and drying out in the summer. The only consolation is that we know it is the same Bedfordshire clay that the Laxtons had to deal with.” Contact: Nick Hall, Conservation Officer, Bedford Borough Council, Town Hall, St Paul’s Square, Bedford MK40 1SH, +44(0)1234 227407.
Southill Community Orchard. This small orchard was planted in 1999/2000 with local apple varieties including Lord Lambourne and a number of Laxton's. It is cared for mainly by three local women, but they hope that more residents will show an interest as the trees grow and they organise more events. The first crop was celebrated at the church harvest festival. Southill is next to the village of Old Warden, from which the hard cooking pears where named. Contact: Andrina Butcher, 73 High Street, Southill, Biggleswade, Beds SG18 9JB, +44(0)1462 816201, tonybutcher[at]beeb.net
Around the villages of Totternhoe and Eaton Bray, Plum orchards and hedgerows survive as the relic of a local jam making industry.
Where to buy apples and orchard produce
Farm Shop: Philip Worthington, Sheephill Orchard, Kiln Lane, Clophill MK45 4DA - a range of varieties are grown and sold from the farm shop.
Gunns Bakery, 7-8 Market Square, Sandy, is known for its Bedfordshire Clangers, and also takes a stall at Bromham Mill Apple Day every October, producing toffee apples and chocolate apples for the occasion. +44(0)1767 680434.
Pell's Farm Shop,Renhold Road, Wilden MK44 2PX. Sell fruit from a local orchard, and also sell apple juices and preserves.
For details of Farmers' Markets in Bedfordshire see the Farmers' Market web-site.
Please LET US KNOW of any other apple growers and orchard producers in Bedfordshire : email info [at] commonground.org.uk
Recipes Dishes to look out for...
Bedfordshire Clangers
(an oblong baked pastry with a suet crust, filled with savory and sweet ingredients at opposite ends, the sweet end is often apple)
Bedfordshire Apple Florentine Pie
which is served with spice ale.
See 'Made in Bedfordshire' from Bedfordshire County Council +44(0)1234 363222. Also, information on local food from 'Tastes of Anglia' +44(0)1473 785883, or see their web-site.
Trees can be purchased from the East of England Apples and Orchards Project. Contact: treesales [at] applesandorchards.org.uk or call +44(0)1328 838403 for a catalogue of 170 varieties local to the East of England.
Also see Buckinghamshire or Essex, or you can order trees mail order from a number of nurseries that stock a wide range including:
Keepers Nursery in Kent +44(0)1622 726465 or see their web-site.
Thornhayes in Devon +44(0)1884 266746 or see their web-site.
Please let us know if you know of a good fruit tree nursery in Bedfordshire : email info [at] commonground.org.uk
