'An apple a day, keeps the doctor away'
Even today this old saying still bears a great deal of
truth. In the autumn, plants and trees produce an abundance of fruits and
seeds, providing an excellent food source for many birds and animals. For
many thousands of years, man has gathered and eaten this natural harvest
before cultivating and planting them as crops. Currently, Kent produces
50% of the UK’s apples, so where better to enjoy this autumn's bountiful
harvest than in the Garden of England?
Despite being the UK’s primary fruit growing county,
Kent’s orchard acreage decreased by 85% between 1960 and 1990, and it’s
likely this will continue to fall. Gone are the tall, gnarled spreading
boughs with fat lichen covered trunks, capable of growing and producing
fruit for over 100 years. Gone are the open green orchards, with sheep
grazing beneath the trees. Today, with help from past government
incentives, orchards consist of dwarf rootstock trees, rarely growing
beyond head height. The closely planted rows allow special narrow tractors
to speed up and down the lines, spraying pesticides, herbicides and
fertilisers to ensure perfectly uniformed size, shape, colour and taste of
the apples. Instead of 50 trees per acre, 300 can now be crammed in,
maximising output.
The market is now dominated by cheap imports, favouring
only several varieties which keep well and produce a consistent crop. This
is down to consumer demand- requiring cheap and perfectly formed apples.
However, research in July has revealed many of these imported apples
contain pesticide levels above the national limits, so are we now paying
the price for such demands? In Kent we are lucky enough to have an
abundance of small local shops and farm stalls, so this autumn why not
take advantage of them and sample some home grown Kentish apples. Discover
many of the traditional varieties, not often available elsewhere, and try
out a new recipe or two, whether its salad, soup, savoury or even sorbet!
In the past, the greatest proportion of orchard loss has
been put down to agricultural conversion, often to arable. Now,
particularly in the highly populated south-east, housing and business
developments are continuing the threat. Only a few havens of ‘old’
orchards survive today, and fewer still are in commercial use. No Man’s
Orchard, Chartham Hatch near Canterbury was bought by Chartham and
Harbledown Parish Councils in 1996 to preserve and continue its life as an
orchard for its wildlife, recreational and educational value. Although
orchards are capable (and in the past often used to) support a wide range
of flowers and plants, modern techniques and chemical use prevents this.
NMO is chemical free and managed as a traditional orchard, and has a
diverse range of wildlife from visiting hobbies to over 33 different types
of lichen. Being Kent’s first community orchard, the 10 acre (4ha) site
is open to everybody. If you have never visited it before, on Saturday 23rd
October the orchard hosts its annual Apple Day which is an ideal time to
find out what it's all about. With themed competitions, music, guided
walks and of course plenty of apples, there’s plenty to see and do.
Check out the details under Events Listings, and make the most of one of
Kent’s best autumn treasures.
Jo Haskett, Canterbury Greenspace Officer
