© 2024• North Cumbria Orchard Group: Conserving, promoting and celebrating orchards in North Cumbria.
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Books
Resources
Apple Grower
The Apple Grower
ISBN 1-931498-91 1
A book from the US for apple-growing enthusiasts, particularly with reference to organic orchards. Some of the information is (East Coast) US-specific, but there is much of value.
Apple Orchard
The Apple Orchard - The story of our most English fruit
ISBN 978-0-141-98228-1
Author: Pete Brown.
Highly entertaining and informative journey through the seasons in England's apple-growing heartlands.
Apple book
The Apple Book
ISBN 978-0-7112-3141-2
Author: Rosie Sanders.
The definitive modern illustrated guide to English (and some international) apple varieties. Possibly the best illustrations for identification puposes.
Apples and Orchards of Cumbria
A comprehensive review of Cumbrian apple varieties and of Cumbrian orchards open to the public.
ISBN: 978-190-452-4557
"This book grabs the apple lover from the start with the close-up of bright red fruit opposite the contents page. Dedicating the book to Cumbria's Queen of Apples, Hilary Wilson, the author – who chairs the South Lakeland Orchard Group – focuses on the varieties originating in our area and the gardens and orchards where they can others may be seen. In Lakeland, he writes, two distinct categories of fruit growing developed – in the great country houses, where apples were eaten fresh at the end of a meal and on farms, where the apples were used for cooking and the most common variety in the 19th century was Keswick Codlin. Whether you want to be able to tell a Lemon Square from a Nelson's Favourite or discover the connection between artist Kurt Schwitters and an orchard in Elterwater, this is the book for you." Cumbria Life, February 2014.
Cider Enthusiasts' Manual
ISBN 978-0-85733-283-7
Author: Bill Bradshaw.
Very practical guide to traditional cider making. Includes the webmaster's plans for making an apple press.
Cider Maker's Handbook
The New Cider Maker's Handbook
ISBN 978-1-60358-473-9
Author: Claude Jolicouer.
Highly informative guide for serious amateur and professional cider makers.
Craft Cider Making
ISBN 978-1-904871-37-8
An excellent guide from a technical expert who spent 13 years at the Long Ashton Reserarch Station (for the National Fruit and Cider Institute).
Fruit Garden Displayed
The Fruit Garden Displayed
ISBN 0-304-34016-2
The authoritative text on fruit growing. Currently out of print but numerous old editions are available second-hand.
Northern Pomona
The Northern Pomona
ISBN 978-0-9556653-0-1
Editor: Linden Hawthorne.
An excellent book on northern apple varieties with beautiful watercolour plates and lots of recipes too.
Real Cidermaking
Authors: Micahel Pooley & John Lomax.
A great introduction to cider-making, including information for making your own press.
Cider and juice-making
Resources
Cider Enthusiasts' Manual
ISBN 978-0-85733-283-7
Author: Bill Bradshaw.
Very practical guide to traditional cider making. Includes the webmaster's plans for making an apple press.
Cider Maker's Handbook
The New Cider Maker's Handbook
ISBN 978-1-60358-473-9
Author: Claude Jolicouer.
Highly informative guide for serious amateur and professional cider makers.
Cider Workshop
The Cider Workshop
Lots of cider-related resources and an active forum.
Anyone can join the Cider Workshop discussion group and ask questions or simply discuss real/craft/traditional cider and perry (or as some of us prefer, heritage cider and perry.) The cider workshopweb resource is an easy reference for all cider lovers and as a storage space of ideas and expertise for the group.
Cider science
The Wittenham Hill Cider Pages
Leading cider scientist Andrew Lea's personal website (unfortunately no longer updated)
A huge resource of general and detailed information about cider-making from the foremost cider scientist in the UK.
Cumbrian cider
Pure Cumbrian cider and apple juice - Mosser Cider
Mosser Cider is the result of combining a passion for great cider with a desire to make a truly unique local product. It can only be found in outlets which take pride in local Cumbrian produce as well as excellent food and drink. The website has information about the cider and a (not very regular) blog about the orchard and products.
How to craft cider
Information sheet on making cider (based on information at www.ciderworkshop.com)
Download Download How to craft cider (pdf)Juice pasteurising
A simple guide to pasteurising juice - just a big pan, bottles and thermometer required.
Download Download Juice pasteurisingPress - how to build
How to build an apple press
Build a sturdy and efficient press for well under half the price it would cost to buy one
DownloadReal Cidermaking
Authors: Micahel Pooley & John Lomax.
A great introduction to cider-making, including information for making your own press.
Vigo presses
UK market leader in juicing and cider equipment
Milling, pressing and fermentation equipment plus a whole load of ancillary products.
General orchard information
Information regarding orchards, environment, biodiversity
Resources
Lancashire Apples project
The Lancashire Apples project
The Lancashire Apples Project involves the Northern Fruit Group, Lancaster Seedsavers, the Middlewood Trust and Lancashire County Council, which has funded the exercise. In 2005, 200 apple trees were grafted at Middlewood near Lancaster. Most were of historic northern varieties, which were offered for sale to the public in Lancaster in February 2006. Such was the success of the project that it has been repeated - more local varieties have been grafted and will be available in early 2007.
National Biodiversity Network
The National Biodiversity Network is a collaborative partnership created to exchange biodiversity information. It is a charity, with a membership including many UK wildlife conservation organisations, government, country agencies, environmental agencies, local environmental records centres and many voluntary groups.
National Fruit Collection
The National Fruit Collection (formerly Brogdale)
The National Fruit Collection is one of the largest fruit collections in the world and includes over 3,500 named Apple, Pear, Plum, Cherry, Bush fruit, Vine and Cob Nut cultivars. Located at Brogdale Farm, near Faversham (Kent), the collection is owned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and is part of an international programme to protect plant genetic resources for the future.
Natural England
Natural England are the government’s adviser for the natural environment in England, helping to protect England’s nature and landscapes for people to enjoy and for the services they provide. Type "orchard" into their search box for relevant resources.
They have also produced a leaflet on traditional orchards in the context of climate change (click on the download link)
Download Traditional OrchardsNorthern Fruit Group
The Northern Fruit Group
Promoting fruit growing in the north of England
The group was formed in November 1995 by a group of like-minded people with a passion for fruit growing. Membership has since grown to over 400 in number with a wide range of expertise from novice to professional growers. Although centred in Yorkshire, membership spreads as far as Scotland, west Wales, northern France and the Netherlands!
People's Trust for Endangered Species
People’s Trust for Endangered Species was set up in 1977 to save our wildlife. They are governed by a board of volunteer trustees and their team of staff are passionate about protecting endangered species and places.
Orchards are a valuable resource for native species. Type "orchard" into the search box on the site for more information.
South Lakeland Orchard Group
Our sister organisation in the south of the county
The South Lakeland Orchard Group was formed in 2007 by people who are passionate about orchard fruits in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, England. Their aims are to conserve, maintain and renovate existing fruit orchards and encourage the planting of new orchards in the South Lakeland area recognising the importance of bio-diversity and the preservation of old local varieties of fruit.
Westmorland Damson Association
Products, history and information about Westmorland Damsons.
The Westmorland Damson Association was formed in April 1996 by a group of local people who wished to preserve the damson orchards in the old County of Westmorland, especially in and around the Lyth Valley.
Every April, they run the "Damson Day" in the Lyth valley.
Information sheets
Resources
Apple tree size
This is a really useful guide to expected tree size, based on variety, rootstock and growing conditions. It is similar to the information given in the fruit section of this website, but a bit more detailed and can be printed for use at events etc.
DownloadGraft - why?
Why graft?
Information about the purpose of grafting and different apple rootstocks.
Download Download Why graft apples?Grafting
How to craft cider
Information sheet on making cider (based on information at www.ciderworkshop.com)
Download Download How to craft cider (pdf)Juice pasteurising
A simple guide to pasteurising juice - just a big pan, bottles and thermometer required.
Download Download Juice pasteurisingNorth Cumbria Orchard Group - information sheet
Press - how to build
How to build an apple press
Build a sturdy and efficient press for well under half the price it would cost to buy one
DownloadOrchard management
Planning, planting, grafting, meadow management.
Resources
Apple Grower
The Apple Grower
ISBN 1-931498-91 1
A book from the US for apple-growing enthusiasts, particularly with reference to organic orchards. Some of the information is (East Coast) US-specific, but there is much of value.
Care of the newly-grafted tree
Formative pruning and pruning tip-bearing apple trees
Useful information sheets with a practical approach to pruning, courtesy of Chis Braithwaite.
Download Formative pruning Download Pruning tip-bearing apple treesFruit Garden Displayed
The Fruit Garden Displayed
ISBN 0-304-34016-2
The authoritative text on fruit growing. Currently out of print but numerous old editions are available second-hand.
Fruit Garden Displayed
The Fruit Garden Displayed
ISBN 0-304-34016-2
The authoritative text on fruit growing. Currently out of print but numerous old editions are available second-hand.
How not to grow fruit trees
The webmaster's tale of woe so that you can avoid the same mistakes.
Download How not to grow fruit treesPruning apples
Scythe Shop
The Scythe Shop
Simon Fairlie - supplier of Austrian scythes
This is the supplier of the NCOG scythes. Simon imports Schröckenfux hand-forged scythe blades into the UK, direct from the factory in Austria where they have been made since 1540. Austrian scythe blades are recognized around the world as being of the highest quality. They are lighter, nimbler, more elegantly formed and easier for the novice to sharpen -- yet no more expensive than traditional English scythes.
Research
Resources
Cumbria Apple Project
In 1997 a survey of orchards in two North Cumbrian parishes was carried out - you can download the original document as a pdf file using the download link below but be aware that the file is 6mb. Please note that the Cumbria Apple Project materials remain the property of the original authors, Nick Hirst and Peter Emsley.
DownloadTree suppliers & fruit information
Resources
Apple book
The Apple Book
ISBN 978-0-7112-3141-2
Author: Rosie Sanders.
The definitive modern illustrated guide to English (and some international) apple varieties. Possibly the best illustrations for identification puposes.
Frank Matthews
Frank P Matthews grow over ½ million container grown and bare root fruit and ornamental trees every year for supply into garden centres, nurseries, mail order companies and commercial growers. They also supply rootstocks for orchard groups etc.
Northern Pomona
The Northern Pomona
ISBN 978-0-9556653-0-1
Editor: Linden Hawthorne.
An excellent book on northern apple varieties with beautiful watercolour plates and lots of recipes too.
Featured resource
Cider Workshop
Anyone can join the Cider Workshop discussion group and ask questions or simply discuss real/craft/traditional cider and perry (or as some of us prefer, heritage cider and perry.) The cider workshopweb resource is an easy reference for all cider lovers and as a storage space of ideas and expertise for the group.
Quick links
- Apple book
- Apple Grower
- Apple Orchard
- Apple tree size
- Apples and Orchards of Cumbria
- Apples for Cumbria
- Care of the newly-grafted tree
- Cider Enthusiasts' Manual
- Cider Maker's Handbook
- Cider science
- Cider Workshop
- Craft Cider Making
- Cumbria Apple Project
- Cumbrian cider
- Formative pruning and pruning tip-bearing apple trees
- Frank Matthews
- Fruit Garden Displayed
- Fruit Garden Displayed
- Graft - why?
- Grafting
- How not to grow fruit trees
- How to craft cider
- Juice pasteurising
- Lancashire Apples project
- Mistletoe Directory
- National Biodiversity Network
- National Fruit Collection
- Natural England
- North Cumbria Orchard Group - information sheet
- Northern Fruit Group
- Northern Pomona
- Orange Pippin
- People's Trust for Endangered Species
- Press - how to build
- Pruning apples
- R V Roger
- Real Cidermaking
- Royal Horticultural Society
- Scythe Shop
- South Lakeland Orchard Group
- Vigo presses
- Westmorland Damson Association
Contact: info@ncorchards.co.uk