Chris's Forester Column: August 2010
Like
many of you, I guess, disappointment quickly follows the purchase of supermarket
sourced summer fruit picked too early for flavour to have developed. Imported peaches
and apricots are often a big let down after promising much; before the inside
is properly ripe, rot rapidly sets in on the surface and texture and taste
leave much to be desired. But have you tried the Newent apricot yet? (...continue reading ...)
After
watching enterprising grower Richard Elgie of Hilters Farm, Oxenhall, plant 500
apricot trees three years ago, I waited with keen anticipation to taste the
local benefits of climate change. This July brings their first commercial crop
oozing with sweet juice and real flavour and stunning to look at. They're
unsprayed and I haven't had nicer apricots since I bought from roadside markets
in
One
of the perks of my role as judge of the Newent In Bloom Garden Environmental
Awareness competition is the pleasure of visiting people's gardens to talk
about their passions. This year's competition attracted an array of gardeners
working in very different situations. I was impressed with their
resourcefulness and all their various organic approaches to the encouragement
of biodiversity which seemed far more important to them than formal tidiness
and order. Winners will be announced shortly.
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