ribston pippin

14 September 202014 September 2020

Apple Harvest

There’s a good crop of Bramleys that will need picking soon, the windfalls are more than sufficient to keep us supplied with flavoursome stewed apple. The eating apple Beauty of Bath was the first to ripen, then there was a smaller crop of Ellison’s Orange. Ribston Pippen is still being picked and Darcy Spice will ripen last and keep longest. The Conference pears can be eaten off the tree or poached and the majority are given away. A lovely sunny and warm day with light winds; picked and watered the runner beans which are producing even more blossom. Picked tomatoes and a small water melon.

30 June 20202 July 2020

Grown in 1708 from one of three apple pips sent from Normandy to Ribston Hall, near Knaresborough, the original trunk lived until 1835 and it then sent up a new shoot and survived on the same root until 1928. The apples have a very high Vitamin C content and it’s possible the Cox is a descendant. Ripens early, and most of the apples are hidden by new foliage, last year most of them fell off before I noticed. Listened to a webinar on worm infestations. It’s possible that as William and Toby are well covered their worm burden is low, analysis of a faecal sample will tell us if any treatment is required. A cool, cloudy day with late rain and a red sky sunset.