Apricot, Peach and Nectarine Trees

Hello Everyone,

Bob and I hope you are all very well. This week the weather has been glorious…perfect to help us become acclimatised to darker mornings with that fresher colder feel. The colours around the farm, walled garden and beyond are amazing. The changing from the greens to the yellows and oranges help us all to enjoy the season of Autumn.

Bob and I had a day date on Saturday when we went to North Yorkshire and the views were spectacular, particularly in the Sutton Bank area. As ever, we always combine our pleasure with something a little more practical…

The Walled Garden

The greenhouse within the walled garden is ideal for experimenting, well for Bob and I it will be a first experiment with Prunus trees, ie: Apricot, Peach and Nectarine trees. We have never ventured into these varieties, hence our little day date to North Yorkshire. We took ourselves off to an amazing, proper, old-school nursery…R.V. Roger’s Nursery. This last weekend they were celebrating all things Apples - trees, fruit, juice, preserves and cheeses. As a business they went fully into the theme and were generous with time and effort. We went to the nursery with the intention of discovering the Prunus tree specifics. This we got in abundance, and we bought the choice and varieties which the team at the nursery suggested.  The trees will be ready for collection once the dormant season has arrived…true Wintertime. They will then be planted into the central part of the greenhouse. 

Not only did the team at the nursery help with our tree decision, but they also offered an education in tree pruning. As we are not experts of any description, when it comes to being professional arborists, the mini course was an unexpected opportunity. We are bringing all we learned back to the orchard and the cordon trees. The language used, by the tree coach, was simple and the explanation as to why and where cuts are made has given us a little more confidence. It is very difficult to prune a tree when it has grown over a season and then it must be cut back and cut back by a lot! The main thing we learnt was not to be afraid to take off more of the tree than you think as the correct cut will provide better growth and fruit the following growing season. Here’s to the 2026 fruit harvest.

The Farm

While I drive around, I listen to the radio or a BBC Sounds episode. This last week I listened to an item regarding food waste and chocolate. I do not like waste! But…Who doesn’t enjoy chocolate? The chocolate business decided to use waste oranges to inject into the flavour of the chocolate orange. They also used waste croissants to make a pain au chocolate bar. They go to an assortment of other businesses and collect their waste to combine with their chocolate bars. They are up for an award, well done them. 

I talk about waste coz I want you to know #nothinggoestowaste here on the farm and nothing will go to waste in the walled garden. Whenever we harvest a crop, we use the vegetable for the Chef’s Box or the restaurants. There is always part of the veg which is not used by the customer. These ‘wasted’ parts are offered to the chickens, if they don’t need it then the waste goes off to the compost bin. When plants come to the end of producing, then it is off to the compost bin. 

We have two compost bin areas with several bins in each. They get filled one day with all the green waste and within two days the full bin shrinks. It takes no time at all for the decomposition to begin. Along with the greens we will add cardboard and paper goods. We are also adding woodchip, particularly the older chippings which are decomposing. The different additions are layered within the bins. Each bin is then covered with a polythene cover which helps to create the heat which aids the decomposing of the waste. Occasionally (very occasionally as this is sooooo time consuming) the layers are turned and mixed, moved from one bin to the next. It is here that all the worms and creepy crawlies can be seen. These are the stars of the waste. They eat and chew and poo through the waste. Eventually, way beyond a year, black gold is produced. It is waste no more. Time, heat and tiny organisms have created our very own compost. 

The YouTube Channel 

The YouTube channel has been showing both Bob and me talking about our harvests over the last few weeks. Take a look to see what we have been harvesting, storing and preparing for the next season. Bob also talks about the construction sector and his involvement for the hotel and restaurant, considering he knew nothing it has been a pure education, and he now knows a tiny bit more than he did two years ago. 

Life is an education. We are learning about pruning and building this week. Wonder what we will learn next week. 

Till then, take care,

Ann