Where are all our English apples?
The English summer has come to an end (yes that was it!), and it is autumn again. Apple trees everywhere are groaning under the weight of countless native varieties of delicious, ripe fruit all out there just ready for picking…
Okay, this might be so, but why are Tesco stores and all the other supermarkets for that matter full of New Zealand Braeburn and Royal Gala, French Golden Delicious, Australian Pink Lady, American Empire and Spartan and Dutch Elstar.
But what about English apples? Has our taste for foreign fruit become so deep rooted that we are unable to see that low hanging fruit on our local the trees? I think it is such a shame that we don’t see more produce from our local orchards.
I know many of our lovely English apples are not considered commercially viable by corporate monsters such as Tesco and Sainsbury; however I must say that I have noticed that they occasionally sell a mere handful of native varieties - when in season of course.
So where are the Discoveries, Cox's, Worcester Pearmains and Laxtons? We have a wonderful selection of apples grown right here in this country, surely it makes good economic sense to stand behind our home grown produce.
By: Pazza
More sites about English Apples
Ronnie Appleseed - An excellent site with a wealth of information and images of English Apples.
England's food renaissance - An interesting article on BBC Food, the highlight of which was the statement 'Almost two-thirds of consumers mistakenly believe that Granny Smith apples (originally from Australia) are English apples.'
Comments from visitors
Marks and Spencer are currently selling "limited edition" bags of older varieties of English apples.
They are are fairly expensive but a nice change from the usually available flavourless varieties and I would always prefer a small amount of something good to a lot of something that is bland and tasteless.
They are are fairly expensive but a nice change from the usually available flavourless varieties and I would always prefer a small amount of something good to a lot of something that is bland and tasteless.
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It is like the demise of British textiles - the buying public insist on having the cheapest regardless of quality. I buy only British apples but I am disappointed at the number which are bruised. Of course, it would help if growers would come out of the black hole that they skulk in. The only apple advert I can remember ever seeing was 'Le Crunch'!
And for those who do not realise - most of the apples, even British, which are labelled 'Cox's Apples' are NOT Cox's Orange Pippins. The latter rattle when shaken if genuine.
And for those who do not realise - most of the apples, even British, which are labelled 'Cox's Apples' are NOT Cox's Orange Pippins. The latter rattle when shaken if genuine.
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I followed the link to Ronnie appleseed and found alarge number of links to "sponsors" and no information about English apple varieties. Not quite what you had in mind, I suspect. Has this website lapsed? If so the link should presumably be removed from yours.
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I tried to buy apples in ASDA yesterday, there were a few Cox's and nothing else, although for the first time in a long time there were english pears - heaven!
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So,because you have a dislike for foreign apples,we can only have our "wonderful"British apples?
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You cant stock English apples before they are in season -you will find all supermarkets have good stocks now .There isnt a year round supply of UK apples, and the UK doesnt grow certain varieties in commmercial volumes (Granny Smith, Golden Delicious).
If we didnt import apples we wouldn't have anything on the shelves from April (or earlier ) to late September.
If we didnt import apples we wouldn't have anything on the shelves from April (or earlier ) to late September.
+2
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to my utter joy I had an ocado delivery which include Worcester Pearmans a bit small and hard skinned but still home grown. I cannot wait for the Spartan's to come in.Lasy year Morrison's were stocking the best Spartan's I had seen for yrs, hope they do the same this yr. why oh why are our shops getting apples from abroad okay when our's are out of season but no need to at this time of yr.Wake up please you Supermarkets and go british
+7
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There are sources of local apples, from farm shops, country markets and "in season" sales at people's gates. I have a wide variety of young apple trees and am beginning to try and encourage people to ask for named varieties, but producers need local support or the fruit rots because there is no easy market for small scale producers like us who want to sell locally, but only when the fruit is "in season". (although of course the ponies dont mind helping to eat the windfalls/leftovers).
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katieappletree - 13-Sep-10 20:04
It seems only ASDA are stocking a wide range of english apples this year. The Co-op have been planting acres of orchards of traditional apple varieties, but I have not seen them advertised anywhere so far this year, although the apple season is only just beginning , so perhaps it is a little early. But whY don't they give advance notice, so that we can look for home-grown apples in outr local Co-op? I know the Co-op now produce their own cider from Co-op orchards and it is realy good!
+3
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David Richard-Jones - 12-Sep-10 21:46
John Simpson, I concur. I was in Tesco saturday. I could buy apples from New Zealand, South Africa, Chile and Poland. The only English apple in sight was one and it was of the cooking variety. And they're all in plastic bags for our convenience. Tesco have it all wrong, wrong, wrong. I'm not bothered about a million choices, I'm bothered about buying local or at least British. And I don't want to be putting half a bin full of plastic in my rubbish just on my return from the supermarket. At least the CO-OP try and stock local. I can buy eggs and potatoes that are from my local area. And yes, I do buy my eggs and potatoes from there and not Tesco, because I want to buy LOCAL. Is it really rocket science?
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I know what you mean John; years ago I bought an English apple called Lord Lambourne that had a smashing flavour but I have not seen one in years.
Have a look at this link, it may be of interest to you if you live near one of the events. It's a long while to wait but better than nothing.
http://www.england-in-particular.info/cg/appleday/a-events.html
Have a look at this link, it may be of interest to you if you live near one of the events. It's a long while to wait but better than nothing.
http://www.england-in-particular.info/cg/appleday/a-events.html
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Would you believe it, I have not been able to find one English variety of apples for the last 4 months in the supermarkets of Asda, Sainsburys, Tesco or Waitrose in the Basildon District area of Essex. Each time I have asked the question, where are your English apples I am informed that the orders are dictated from their respective head offices. I ask the question, when do you listen to the requests of your customers? They just shrug their shoulders and leave feeling foolish in having to ask. I do not buy apples that have air miles preferring to buy apples that are grown in this country, there is no guarantee that they are fresh after being flown from Chile, South Africa, New Zealand and elsewhere barring England. Why are we not supporting our own farmers, the rest of the world gets financial handouts from us tax payers as it is. Please, please let me find some English grown apples, complaining to the managers just falls on deaf ears!!
+3
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John Simpson - 23-Jul-10 13:24
I noticed on a number of occasions apples labled as English in Asda, which on inspection were not. On informing the staff, they did not seem to get the point, after discussion with the product Manager he said he would change it. A few days later in the same store, clearly labled in a large sign as English Apples, were South African Apples
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http://www.allaboutapples.com/varieties/
Go there for full details of all the apples there are.
Most apple varieties don't have a terribly long history.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_apple_cultivars
Go there for full details of all the apples there are.
Most apple varieties don't have a terribly long history.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_apple_cultivars
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Please visit http://theenglishappleman.com for an informed understanding of English Apples and their availability.
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The English Apple Man - 9-Jan-10 15:23
It seems that it is preferal to get them from abroad , it is probably not considered cool to get them on your own doorstep, and they would be healthier as they have not travelled halfway across the world!
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I'm going to guess that, like in the USA, New Zealand's produce is grown with no control over the amount of insecticide used, and the work is done by underpaid migrant labor.
My advice to you is to kick the corporations in the bum. If you have a garden, buy some native apple, pear, and damson plum trees. Trust me, it'll pay off. Your kids can sell the surplus door-to-door.
We had an apple and pear tree in the backyard. The apples always got wormy, but we'd just cut off the part with the worms and eat the rest (or make fruit salad).
My advice to you is to kick the corporations in the bum. If you have a garden, buy some native apple, pear, and damson plum trees. Trust me, it'll pay off. Your kids can sell the surplus door-to-door.
We had an apple and pear tree in the backyard. The apples always got wormy, but we'd just cut off the part with the worms and eat the rest (or make fruit salad).
+10
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Gosh Discoveries and Cox's I used to see around 10 years ago and you're right - now they're not there anymore. Not unless I go to a farmer's market, anyway. I'm only in my mid-twenties and
I can't believe this is going on in my lifetime.
It's funny that while we lose our native varieties the french, german markets are still booming with theirs..
I can't believe this is going on in my lifetime.
It's funny that while we lose our native varieties the french, german markets are still booming with theirs..
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feckless wreck - 10-Nov-09 12:26
It's cheaper and more greener to ship apples to London from the Cape of Good Hope than to send them by lorry from the Vale of Evesham. Besides British Farmers are greedy and want their so-called "organic" mark-up. This makes home-grown produce outrageously expensive.
Let the GM crops flood the country
Let the GM crops flood the country
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GM will Save the World - 5-Sep-09 08:37
Does anyone know whether the James Grieve apple still exists and if so where it is available? Please let me know at robingb@btinternet.com and many thanks.
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