It seems that, despite the cold, wet summer, this is a very good fruit year. I've just finished harvesting the October apples and pears. The Howgate Wonder and the Ellison's Orange Pippin are enormous, scabby and delicious. The Conference pears and the Blenheim Orange are more numerous than I have ever known before and, like the the Bramleys (as usual) and the unknown variety, are virtually blemish free.
I've left all the windfalls, the undersized ones and those that have been insect or bird attacked to feed the birds throughout the winter. I've given away loads, and I still have a storage problem. What's more I still have an enormous, ancient apple tree of unknown variety to pick, but I usually leave that one until early November when, maybe, I will have used enough to make room for them.
What happened to scrumping? I'd welcome a few young scrumpers. Anyone around this coming half-term is welcome to a bag of fruit.
