Orchards, Trees & Orchard ProduceOxfordshire information
Orchards, Trees & Orchard Produce
Oxfordshire information
Where to get help
The Midshires Orchard Group covers Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire. In 2007 the group formed a partnership with Stowe Landscape gardens, a National Trust property, where they will create a home orchard, help to restore the estates old orchard and fruit trees, run events and run training courses in pruning and grafting including restorative pruning of old fruit trees and traditional orchard management. The founders of the group, Andy Howard and Marcus Roberts already provide local varieties from the Heritage Fruit Tree Company, having grafted from local trees (see below). Contact: Midshires Orchard Group, +44(0)1295 712272, mandm.roberts[at]ukgateway.net or see www.msog.btik.com
Orchards and Community Orchards to visit
Elder Stubbs Allotments Orchard, Elder Stubbs Allotments, at Rymers Lane in Cowley, Oxford. A ‘Heritage Orchard’ of 45 English apple varieties planted within Elder Stubbs Allotments. The allotments are owned and managed by the Elder Stubbs Charity providing over 100 plots for local residents as well as letting plots to other charities with similar aims to itself. One such charity is the Elder Stubbs Garden Group, part of RESTORE, which cultivates 21⁄2 acres as an organic market-garden and their own orchard, run as an horticultural therapy project for people recovering from mental illness. The Charity was established in 1988 when the land was overgrown and unused. They follow organic principles and have planted a 1,000 tree woodland of native species, established a pond, wetland area, wildflower meadow, osier bed, and hazel coppice (in co-operation with the Oxfordshire Woodland Project) as well as the orchard. An annual festival attracting 2,000 people is held with arts, crafts, music, sculpture, dance, a flower and vegetable show as well as information and advice on mental health, ecological, environmental and social concerns involving many other local charities. Contact:Rumi Mohideen, Estate Manager, +44(0)1865 747176, elder.stubbs[at]restore.org.uk or see www.elderstubbs.org.uk
Eye and Dunsden Community Orchard, An orchard planted on part of Dunsden Village Green in 2007/8. Planting of the first tree, an Oxfordshire variety, the Blenheim Orange, in December 2007 was celebrated with mulled cider and mince pies in the village hall afterwards. Forty-five trees were planted with apples, cherries and plums, mullberries, a quince and a medlar. A design for planting was created starting with the Kyrgyzstan apple, Malus Kirgishorun thought to be one of the apples ancestors, and including Mrs Phillimore from Berkshire, to a set of locally connected and interesting historical varieties. The cherries are located near the road to show off their blossom. A central path leads to a bench with dwarf trees on either side, it divides the apples from the plums and cherries which are arranged on a different axis. It is hoped more trees will be plant in the winter of 2008/9. A list of cherry varieties was given to the Friends of Dunsden Orchard, of trees that once grew at Bryants Farm including Frogmore White and Napoleons. A tree adoption scheme was started in 2008. Contact: David Woodward, Chairman of Eye & Dunsden Parish Council, 07802 433058, chairman[at]eyedunsden.org or see orchard.blogspirit.com
Sulgrave Manor, birthplace of George Washington (right), has a small orchard and is home to one of the biggest Apple Day celebrations in the country (left). Residents from the surrounding village are involved, as well as local growers, cider makers, craftspeople, artists and performers. Sophie Grigson has given apple cookery demonstrations there for many years. Contact Maureen Jeffrey, Sulgrave Manor, Sulgrave, Banbury OX17 25D, +44(0)1295 760205.
Wolvercote Community Orchard (left, photo with permission from peter Adams), Godstow Road, Wolvercote, Oxford (opposite the Trout Inn on the banks of the River Thames). A orchard planted in 1993 on land alongside the River Thames in Wolvercote just outside Oxford. The orchard was planted by volunteers from the Wolvercote Tree Group on land that was previously disused allotments. The group lease the land from the Oxford Preservation Trust for the annual rent of a basket of apples. There is full public access. Apples were planted initially on mixed rootstocks and latterly as half standards. The Tree Group was given a list of varieties once grown by a local local farmer, that provided apples from July to April. Local people donated money to plant apples that they hadn’t tasted since childhood. It initially proved difficult to find local varieties but there are now around twenty associated with Oxfordshire including Oxford Sunset, Oxford Yeoman, Eynsham Dumpling, Blenheim Orange, Peggy’s Pride, Sergeant Peggy, Jennifer, Jennifer Wastie and Red Army. The orchard is surrounded by allotments, flood plain and SSSI listed meadows. Bee boxes have been installed and corrugated iron has been left in areas as refuges for grass snakes, slow worms and voles. A mixed hedge has been planted and some deadwood is left along the hedgeline for wild life. The fruit is so far used for preserves and juice sold on Apple Day, held since 1993. Wassailing is also celebrated in the orchard and there is a pruning tuition day and visits from the local Wildlife Watch group. Contact: Peter Adams, 187 Godstow Road, Wolvercote, Oxford OX2 8PG, +44(0)1865 552321, p.adams[at]homecall.co.uk
Where to buy apples and orchard produce
Millets Farm Centre, Kingston Road (A415), Frilford, Abingdon. Nine apple varieties grown in own traditional "big tree" orchard: Discovery, Katy, Lord Lambourne, Greensleeves, Howgate Wonder, Bramley, Spartan, Cox, and Egremont Russet. Plus plums and pears, for PYO and for sale in farm shop. Also produce own fruit juices pressed on the same day of picking. Call +44(0)1865 391555 or see their web-site.
Local foods information in 'Oxfordshire Food Directory' from Oxfordshire County Council, +44 (0)1865 810148.
Upton Cider Co., Upton Fruit Farm, Upton, Didcot OX11 9JE. Small producers of cider made only from own unsprayed apples. Shop in the orchard open from May to December: Friday, Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5pm. See their web-site for more details.
For more information on local food in the area contact the Oxfordshire Food Group which aims to improve access to healthy locally-produced food for all +44(0)1865 484 116.
Waterperry Gardens near Wheatley, Oxford OX33 1JZ, +44(0)1844 339254 produce apple juice from their own orchards, and have been trialling old Oxfordshire varieties recently planted in a new orchard. Waterperry's 8 acres of gardens is a legacy from the residential womens horticultural college founded by Beatrix Havergal in the 1930s. Tea Shop and Garden Shop. Celebrate Apple Day every year. See their website
Banbury Apple Pie - with pastry on the top and bottom.
Heritage Fruit Tree Company, local varieties for Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire. Contact: Andy Howard on +44(0)1295 810516 or Marcus Roberts on +44(0)1295 712272 or mandm.roberts[at]ukgateway.net for more information.
Waterperry Gardens, Waterperry, nr Wheatley, has a large range of varieties of apples, pears, plums, cherries and peaches, fruit and trees. Single variety apple juice also sold. +44(0)1844 339254.
