The National Fruit Show Competition Entries have been sent to a number of prestigious locations.....
After a hugely successful Fruit Show, the show fruit was distributed to a number of prestigious places. The most prestigious being Buckingham Palace......
On Friday 23rd October South East Farmer Magazine Director -Jamie McGrorty drove to London with a precious cargo on board; accompanying Jamie, Former Chairman of The Marden Fruit Show Society and now a Life Vice President - Robert Mitchell MBE as the pair set off for Buckingham Palace and The Mansion House - home, and office, of the Lord Mayor of the City of London. On board they carried the very best samples of Show fruit from the 2015 National Fruit Show, destined for Her Majesty The Queen and The Lady Mayoress of The City of London......
Extract from Mansion House website
Until the mid-18th century, Lord Mayors used their own houses or livery (Guild) halls for their work as head of the City's governmental, judicial and civic functions.
The idea of creating a permanent residence arose after the Great Fire of 1666 to provide a house for Lord Mayors who did not have their own livery hall. But it was almost three quarters of a century later that the architect and Clerk of the City's Work, George Dance the Elder, was chosen to design and build the Mansion House. The first stone was laid in 1739 but it was not until 1752 that Lord Mayor Sir Crispin Gascoigne was able to take up residence there. Work was completed in 1758.
The Mansion House is literally at the heart of the City, above Bank tube station and on the site of a livestock market over the River Walbrook sharing a five-way junction with Royal Exchange, the Bank of England and Hawksmoor's St Mary Woolnoth. With the exception of Queen Victoria Street, all the streets nearby (Cheapside, Cornhill, Poultry) are Roman.
The Lord Mayor of The City of London - Alderman Alan Yarrow
The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of the City of London presides over its governing bodies, the Court of Aldermen and the Court of Common Council and within the City, only the Sovereign takes precedence.
Outside the City the Lord Mayor takes precedence with, but after, members of the Cabinet. On behalf of the Sovereign and the Government the Lord Mayor regularly acts as a host for hospitality provided by the City of London Corporation for visiting heads of state and foreign dignitaries.
Below: Robert Mitchell MBE presents The Lord Mayoress with a tray of 'Best in Show' Cameo apples
Marden Fruit Show Society Committee members Robert Mitchell and Jamie McGrorty were pleased to deliver a tray of winning apples to Mansion House on the Friday after the show. Invited by the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers to make the presentation, Robert, a previous chair of the National Fruit Show, is shown in the picture presenting the tray to the Lord Mayoress.
Presenting fruit to the Lord Mayors Wife is a tradition the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers have upheld for 400 years. After the visit to Mansion House, the winning tray of Cameo (produced by Newmafruit) along with a tray of this years tastiest apple (Rubens) was delivered to Her Majesty The Queen.
Jamie McGrorty told me the gift was received on behalf of Her Majesty by a Lady in Waiting and while he and Robert waited to be received, the fruit sat on a table under the watchful eye of a Policeman; Jamie said many members of staff passed the fruit while they were waiting and all marvelled at the superb quality of the Rubens and Cameo.....
Below: Robert Mitchell, Lord Mayoress and Master of The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers - Rupert Best...
Show Fruit Displayed at Nobel House
On Friday while Robert and Jamie were enjoying the splendours of Buckingham Palace and The Mansion House, Marden Fruit Show Society members led by National Fruit Show Chair Sarah Calcutt displayed part of the Show Fruit on a display at Nobel House - DEFRA (Department of Food and Rural Affairs) at Smith's Square in central London. The event was part of an 'in house' Harvest Festival of UK produce allowing those who work at DEFRA an opportunity to see and taste the finest of 'home grown' produce; produce that in their working day may be affected by their decision making.
Below: a view from above of the atrium where the Show Fruit was displayed
The National Fruit Show fruit on display at Nobel House with Marden Fruit Show Society members manning tasting tables
Apples - a field guide by Michael Clark
One of The English Apple Man's joys in life is meeting up with old friends; The Fruit Show is blessed with so many of my friends. growers, technologists, providers of equipment and services - all have become good friends over my many years in the fruit industry.....and......there is always a chance that a meeting with someone new will blossom into another friendship!
In recent years I have stayed overnight on the Wednesday at The Detling Coach House, a comfy bed and breakfast venue in easy walking distance of the back gate into the Kent County Showground - perfect for a short walk after The Show Dinner back to a safe and comfortable bed...........and come morning I enjoy what is now a very rare full English Breakfast.......well, over breakfast on Thursday morning I engage in conversation with a couple seated cosily in the corner of the room.......after a moment or two, we realise we are all heading for the show - 'post breakfast' ...."do you know John Breach asked my new friend? - "Just a bit I replied, well in actual fact for nearly 40 years I replied....."Oh we are going to his stand this morning" replied Michael (by now we had introduced ourselves) - "so am I, in fact I am doing a half hour slot on The BIFGA Stand....."great I will see you there"
Within the hour my new found friend - Michael Clark presented me with his new book - APPLES a field guide.......
Having reviewed my friend Joan Morgan's recently published 'Book of Pears' it seems my new vocation is as a Book Reviewer.....
When you have spent your whole life involved with apples, any book; in fact any medium, that celebrates the wonderful diversity of this most iconic of fruits....excites me.........Michael Clark's book is different to other great apple books of 'past years' - quite different to Joan Morgan's highly respected Book of Apples & 'New Book of Apples' published over the last quarter of a century..........Michael is clearly passionate about his subject and this is reflected in Apples a field guide!
Reading elements of his book (there is a lot to read) and searching the internet for more on Michael (the web has so much information) I learn that Michael was once a cartoonist and illustrator for the likes of Private Eye, Punch and the Guardian. According to a friend he took a side-step into teaching graphic design.
Michael is the voluntary warden for Tewin Orchard, a nature reserve where, at dusk, you can wrap yourself up in a comfy hide and sit, waiting to spy on badgers and other creatures of the night. Michael and his wife Anna clearly love the life they lead, living among orchards and animals at The Wildlife Trust which is Tewin Orchard. We learn that the Tewin Orchard was planted in 1933 by William Stenning Hopkyns when he planted 10 acres of standard trees of many varieties; his daughter Molly Hopkyns left the orchards in her will to the RSPB who leased it to Hertfordshire & Middlesex Wildlife Trust in 1972. Since then it has been watched over by Honorary Wardens Michael and Anna Clark.
Michael explains in the book how he was born next to the oldest orchard in the village of Cuffley in south Hertfordshire and in 1969 moved with Anna and their young family into a cottage in, what was then; Molly Hopkyns orchard at Tewin. The passion for fruit and particularly old varieties started when he was very young......at that time they were both in full time employment and their voluntary work in Tewin Orchard limited.
The desire to preserve old varieties enabled Michael to be involved in bringing a variety thought to be lost; the Hitchin Pippin, after much searching and a few false trails was found in a garden in Kent owned by Gerald & Elizabeth Rose - now the variety has not only been saved but is producing fruit on trees propagated from bud wood on the tree in Kent.
Another passion Michael admits to is a 'soft spot' for red sports of otherwise mildly coloured apples. He highlights 'Crimson Newton Wonder' which grew on a tree next to the cottage originally lived in by William Stenning Hopkyns as one of his favourites....ironically back in my youth at our farm in Hawkhurst we had some very red Newton Wonder planted by my Grandfather in the 1930's and I do believe they were Crimson Newton Wonder......
I am only a short way into Michael's book, but already I feel an affinity with him.......his passion is endless and his experiences and people he has worked with (voluntarily) would easily fill a 'Who's Who' of the fruit industry.....
A nice little snippet.....talking about harvesting with volunteers on the tall trees at Tewin...he remarks on all the best fruit at the top of the tree where the best light is...'that's why commercial growers grow apples on small trees'....Michael uses the same terminology my Dad taught me....and I taught my children......."treat each apple as if it is a hen's egg" some apples bruise very easily and spoil...
Michael Clark's - APPLES a field guide is packed with information and his illustrations of varieties old...and some new, are of stunning quality..........
Below: pages from Apples a field guide
Below: more pages from Michael Clark's excellent book
My advice to all who are interested in apples, particularly old varieties is........BUY THE BOOK!
That is all for this week.......its 11.30pm on Friday night....
Take care
The English Apple Man