Do you know your Hornsea Herring from your Fillingham Pippin? The UK has nearly 2,500 delicious heritage apple varieties, yet modern economies of global scale mean Gala and Braeburn- two New Zealand varieties- make up half of British apple sales. With increasing focus on food sustainability, diversity and security, Leighton Hall, near Carnforth, is joining the movement championing our local heroes.
Held on or around 21st October, Apple Day was launched in 1990 by the charity Common Ground, to celebrate the beloved fruit’s diversity and heritage.
Now inspiring thousands across the country, Apple Day events include pickings, tastings, pressings, games, crafts and cooking; bringing growers, historians and enthusiasts together with families and foodies to appreciate the delicious diversity far beyond the half-dozen repetitive varieties in most supermarkets.
Leighton Hall’s orchard, into which new saplings representing traditional Lancashire varieties have been carefully introduced, makes it the perfect backdrop for the inaugural Leighton Hall Apple Day. 10am – 3pm on Sunday 20th October, it will celebrate the heritage of historic orchards, apples and traditional country crafts with hands-on family activities, crafts, trails and tastings throughout the day.
Bringing together conservation, nature and craft enthusiasts including the Bee Club, Food Futures, Coppice Co-op, RSPB, Larksfoot Forest School and Harrison Ward, the “Fell Foodie”, families, foragers, fruit and folklore lovers can try their hands at basket weaving, beekeeping, apple picking and pressing, and campfire cooking. Or just indulge in heritage cider, juices, bakes and preserves, with an outdoor market supporting local makers.
“It really is crunch time for British apple varieties,” says estate manager Lucy Arthurs, whose famous Gillow family have lived in the historic hall for generations. “Saving them isn’t just a ‘nice thing to do’, it’s essential food security. Creating a diverse UK orchard network is essential for our domestic varieties, plus the reassurance of organic, healthy food choices, low food miles, and the myriad of vital wildlife an orchard sustains is everything at the “core” of Leighton’s sustainability commitment.
“It’s vital to engage and inspire the next generation, so we’re subsidising entry to just £4 per adult, and £2 for primary school children, to encourage as many families as possible to come. Our gardens and woodlands will be glowing with autumn colour, the perfect backdrop for a day of fun and exploration whatever the weather!”
www.leightonhall.co.uk
