Orchards, Trees & Orchard ProduceOrchards, Trees & Orchard Produce
Kentish Cobnuts Association
Secretary:
Mrs Vivien Gainsborough Foot, Clakkers House, Crouch, Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 8PY
Tel. +44(0)1732 780038, fax. +44(0)1732 780129. e-mail: vivien_gainsfoot [at] yahoo.co.uk
A Kentish cobnut is a type of hazelnut, just as a Bramley is a type of apple. Most of the hazelnuts grown in Britain are of the named variety Kentish Cob, but growers are now beginning to plant other varieties too, such as Butler and Gunslebert. However, they all taste relatively similar- more similar than different varieties of apple, for example - and are often collectively known as Kentish cobnuts regardless of variety.
More cobnuts are grown in Kent than anywhere else, but there are commercial producers in several other counties too.
What is the Kentish Cobnuts Association?
The Kentish Cobnuts Association represents growers and other interested parties, and promotes the cultivation and marketing of cobnuts. It runs training courses and produces a regular newsletter. You do not need to grow cobnuts to join the Kentish Cobnuts Association. The annual membership fee is £15.
When and where can I buy cobnuts?
Cobnuts are marketed fresh - not dried like rnost other nuts, such as walnuts and almonds. Consequently they can usually only be bought when in season, typically from about the middle of August through to October, although stored nuts may be available from selected outlets through to Christmas. At the beginning of the season the husks are green and the kernels
particularly juicy. Nuts harvested later on have brown shells and husks, and the full flavour of the kernel has developed.
Cobnuts can be purchased from good-quality greengrocers and market stalls and some supermarkets. They are also available as pick-your-own, farm gate and mail order from the following outlets; not all are organic. It is advisable to phone first to check on availability.
Silverhill Barn, Dunks Green, Tonbridge, Kent TN11 9SD; phone +44(0)1732 810745. Mail-order, PYO and ready-picked. Open weekdays 1 pm to 4pm, weekends 10am to 4pm. Closed when wet.
Oldbury Farmhouse, Ightham, Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 9DE; phone +44(0)1732 882397. Mail-order.
Augernik Fruit Farm, Hopton Wafers, nr. Cleobury Mortimer; phone +44(0)1584 890429. PYO and ready picked; open daylight hours.
Stone Cottage, Roughway, Tonbridge, Kent TN11 9SH, phone +44(0)1732 810933. Mail order and PYO: ready picked by arrangement. Open daily, 9am to dusk.
Belks, Otham, Maidstone, Kent ME15 8RL; phone +44(0)1622 862150, fax +44(0)1622 863589. Mail-order or direct from the farm by arrangement.
Oldbury House, Ightham, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 9DE, phone +44(0)1732 882320. Mail order.
Allens Farm, Allens Lane, Plaxtol, Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 0QZ; phone +44(0)1732 822904, 810263 or 812200, fax +44(0)1732 812219. Organic. Mail-order, ready-picked and PYO. Phone for opening times. Closed when wet.
Maynards, Windmill Hill, Ticehurst, nr. Wadhurst, East Sussex TN5 7HQ; phone +44(0)1580 200394. Open daily. PYO, ready-picked and mail order.
Apple Trees, Comp Lane, St Mary's Platt, Sevenaoks, Kent TN15 8NR. Phone +44(0)1732 882734, +44(0)20 7408 1010, fax +44(0)1732 882877. Ready picked only.
Oast Cottage, Ightham, Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 9DG; phone +44(0)1732 780764. PYO; ready-picked by arrangement; mail-order. Phone for times.
Golding Hop Farm, Bewley Lane, Plaxtol, Kent TN15 0PS; phone +44(0)1732 885432. PYO by arrangement daily except Satuday. Mail order.
Orchard Farm, Boxted, Essex; phone Dave Thompson on +44(0)1206 728629 for times. Pickling walnuts in June, wet walnuts in October. Cobnuts from 2001.
Can I grow cobnuts in my garden?
Yes - but if you have grey squirrels they may eat them before they get ripe. They will grow in most soils that are not waterlogged. Cobnuts are largely self sterile - the pollen from a given variety cannot pollinate the female flowers of the same variety. For example, pollen from the catkins of a Kentish Cob tree cannot fertilise the female flowers of Kentish Cob, whether on the same or a different tree. If you live in the countryside where there are plenty of wild hazels nearby in woods or hedges, then the pollen from these will probably pollinate your trees. Otherwise you will need to purchase two compatible varieties. The following guidance is based on experience in south-east England and in Holland, and is geared to domestic production. Advice on commercial production is available to members of the Association.
Kentish Cob: a reliable cropper, relatively hardy, with excellent flavour; also available as Longue d Espagne; pollinated by Gunslebert, Cosford and Merveille de Bollwiller.
Gunlebert: a hardy, vigorous and very productive variety producing medium-sized nuts; pollinated by Cosford and Kentish Cob.
Merveille de Bollwiller: also called Hall's Giant; a hardy, vigorous and productive variety with large nuts; pollinated by Cosford, Butler, Ennis and Kentish Cob.
Butler: a large mid- to late-season nut; hardy, vigorous and a heavy cropper; a short-husked variety that de-husks freely when ripe; popular for modern commercial production; pollinated by Ennis, Merveille de Bollwiller.
Ennis: a very attractive large round nut with a superb flavour, but tendency to produce a significant proportion of blank nuts limits commercial value; pollinated by Butler, Merveille de BolIwiller.
Cosford: this is one of the best-flavoured varieties, with thin-shelled nuts, but it is not a heavy bearer; pollinated by Gunslebert, Merveille de BolIwiller, Kentish Cob.
You can buy cobnut trees from:
Blackmoor Fruit Nurseries, Blackmoor, Liss, Hampshire GU33 6B5, tel. +44(0)1420 473576, fax +44(0)1420 487813 *
Deacon's Nursery, Moor View, Godshill, Isle of Wight P038 PHW, tel. +44(0)1983 840750 or 522243, fax +44(0)1983 523575
Frank P Matthews Ltd, Berrington Court, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire WR15 8TH, tel. +44(0)1584 810214, fax +44(0)1584 811830. Wholesale only.
Nutwood Nurseries, Higher Trannack Farm, Helston, Cornwall TR13 0DQ, tel. +44(0)1326 573593; also School Farm,
Onneley, nr. Crewe, Cheshire CW3 9QJ, tel. +44(0)1782 750913.
Reads Nursery, Hales Hall, Loddon, Norfolk NR14 6QW, tel. +44(0)1508 548395, fax +44(0)1508 548040.
RV Roger Ltd, The Nurseries, Pickering, N. Yorks, YO18 7HG, tel. +44(0)1751 472226
Scotts Nurseries (Merriott) Ltd., Merriott, Somerset TA16 SPL, tel. +44(0)1460 72306
John Tweedie Fruit Trees, Maryfield Road Nursery, Near Terregles, Dumfries DG2 9TH, tel. +44(0)1387 720880
JIB Cannon & Son, Roughway Farm, Roughway Lane, Tonbridge, Kent TN11 9SN, tel. 01732 810260 *
* wholesale, plus retail only if collected.
Cobnuts are fresh, and like many other fresh foods they should be kept in the fridge, for example in a loosely-fastened plastic bag. To prevent mould they should not be allowed to sweat. Loose husks should be removed but it is not necessary to take off every one. Do not remove the husks if they are green and firmly attached to the nut. The addition of a little salt helps preserve the nuts. Stored correctly, ripe nuts will keep until Christmas and beyond.
Cobnuts can be eaten fresh, either on their own or together with other ingredients, such as in a salad; some people like to eat them with a little salt. If they are to be chopped, this is best done shortly before eating them, as they do not keep well once they have been cut.
Cobnuts are also delicious roasted, which brings out their flavour. Roasted nuts can be eaten on their own, or used whole, chopped or ground to flavour pasta, meringues, fruit crumbles, cakes, cake toppings etc. To roast cobnuts, first crack and shell them, then cook them on tinfoil or a baking tray in an oven heated to about l50 'C (300 'F, Gas Mark 2), for an hour or so; the cooking time depends on how ripe and how dry they are. First they become soft, but do not remove them until they have hardened, but have not blackened. They can also be cooked in a microwave oven; 4oz of kernels will typically take 6 minutes on high.
What is the nutritional value of cobnuts?
Cobnut kernels typically contain 12%-17% protein by dry weight, and about l0%-15% fibre. Cobnuts are very rich in vitamin E and in calcium, typically containing about 21mg and l41mg per 100g kernel (dry weight) respectively. They provide about 0.4mg and 0.55mg of vitamins B1 and B6 respectively per 100g dry weight.
Available from the Secretary
Please make cheques payable to the KCA and include a self-addressed A5 envelope with 33p stannp (pruning book), A4 envelope with 33p stamp (recipe book), or A4 envdope with 54p starnp for the Information Pack (all rates for 2nd class postage).
Pruning Kentish Cobnuts, 1993, A5, 16 pages; prioe £3.00.
Ken the Kentish Cobnut by Rory Clark and Lucy Pitt, 1998, approx. A5, 32 pages, containing 19 recipes for cobnuts together with amusing drawings; price £3.00.
KCA Information Pack, 15 pages plus copies of pesticide approval. Includes information on varieties, establishing a new plat, pests and diseases, marketing and an introduction to pruning. £4.60 (£3.00 to members).
Other publications
In a nutshell - the story of Kentish cobnuts by Meg Game 1999, A5, 54 pages (left). The history of cobnuts, flora and fauna associated with them, nutrition information and a few recipes; with line drawings. £5.00 plus 50p p&p frorn Meg Game - address below.
Hazelnuts by Martin Crawford, 1995, A5, 28 pages, published by Agroforestry Research Trust, 46 Hunters Moon, Dartington, Totnes, Devon TQ9 6JT; £8.00 plus £1.00 p&p.
Le noisetier, an outstanding reference book in French, on all aspects of nut producrion. Available fiom INVUFLEC, B.P. 7, l9360 Malemort,France 164 pages; 1978.
The Kentish Cobnuts Association
Chairman: John Cannon, Roughway Farm, Roughway, Tonbridge, Kent TN11 9SN phone +44(0)1732 810260
Secretary: Mrs Vivien Gainsborough Foot see above
Membership: Adrian Vincent, Golding Hop Farm, Bewley Lane, Plaxtol, Sevenooks, Kent TN15 0PS, phone +44(0)1732 885432, e-mail: adrian [at] mvincent.freeserve.co.uk
Newsletter: Meg Game, 50 Dartmouth Park Rood, London NW5 1SN, tel. +44(0)20 7267 8434 and Oldbury Farmhouse, Ightham, Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 9DE, tel. +44(0)1732 882397
