September Tree of the Month: Apple - and ORCHARDS!
Monday, 1 September 2025
The fruit is ripening on bushes and trees. Birds are changing their diet as there is less moth and butterfly larvae to eat - they switch to eating the harvest of seeds and berries and fruit.
Heritage Apples
Thousands of different varieties of apples have been developed over the centuries - and there is a growing desire to find and grow some of the lost ones.
In August we looked at the Crab Apple, and those bitter little lovelies are ripening, along with all the other apple types, up and down the country.
Once upon a time there were fruit and nut orchards in many areas, they were plentiful, they were celebrated. Up and down the country many different types of apple would be grown.
However, community orchards have declined (more on this later) and commercial orchards focus on only a limited range of varieties.
Supermarkets prefer to purchase apples with a consistent look and taste - and they want them all the year round.
By only growing certain varieties, there is a danger that we may lose them altogether. Pests, disease, could wipe out the limited apples that are grown.
But never mind all that - we want a wide range of different apples because they are interesting, different, exciting! And they have fabulous names, like Greasy Jack, Nancy Lee, Mother, Painted Summer Pippin, Pig's Nose Pippin!
(If an apple name has 'pippin' in it, this means they were originally grown from seedlings found by chance).
Plans for Orchards...
It has long been an ambition of the Rothbury Tree Wardens to be able to have a community orchard within Rothbury. It has been frustrating not being able to find land that we could use.
However, we now have some opportunities that might just bear fruit (excuse the pun..). At Debdon Falls, next to Whitton View, Cussins (the builders) have planned an orchard. Although this orchard will primarily be for the folk who purchase homes there, I think, I should imagine they may well like some help with maintaining it. Something to think about.
And then there is Rothbury Golf Course. After speaking with Michael Axtell, Club Captain, it seems likely that there may well be a suitable space on there for a community orchard!
And also... well, another place that is not yet ready to be publicly announced.
So YAY! It looks definite that we will be helping, supporting, accessing, and celebrating, fruit orchards in and around Rothbury in the very near future!
How wonderful is that?
