WFV North Cave Wetlands YWT Reserve 18 Sept 2012
Margaret
You may well have read that there has been a nationally poor harvest of apples this year; the supermarkets are even discussing reducing the strict rules regarding size,shape and appearance that govern the selection of apples they sell.
We had been pessimistic about our total crop after a week of frost in May, as well as the cool damp conditions that would not have favoured the pollinating insects. However, it seems like we will reach about half of what we harvested last year, more than predicted, and we are aware that Yorkshire Orchards and Ampleforth Orchard have both had severely reduced crops.
We have continued to record the weights harvested from each tree, and hope that over the years we will build up an interesting picture that reflects the success of different varieties and the affects of climatic conditions. However we know there are a number of variables and figures from two years (we only started weighing in 2011) do not tell the full story yet. For example last year we picked about 44kg of Bramley's seedling, this year we will have about 4 apples. But was that the frost, or does the tree have a biennial bearing habit? Is our harvest of 50% of last year comparatively good (weather affected) or should we have expected more as the trees are bigger, therefore able to produce more fruit? We will watch and learn!
In February we replaced two trees that had canker on their main truncks; both the Charles Ross and Lane's Prince Albert have been replanted. In general, the weather conditions have resulted in prolific growth of the grass and other vegetation, which has required more cutting than usual. We have taken advice from Garden Organic about organic fruit cultivation and leave the majority of the grass long as habitat for the predatory invertebrates that control the pests.
Margaret
Stuart
Margaret
Sue
Lunch was taken either in the draughty bird hide or at a nearby farm cafe and we rounded off the day with visits to the mill museum, where we saw the grinding wheels being water driven, and to the museum shop where several of our group bought flour that had been ground in the mill.
The consensus was that it had been one of those days when we would have otherwise been looking out of our windows bemoaning the poor weather and so we were pleased that we had made the effort and enjoyed a new destination within easy reach which allowed us to have a normal day’s activity and be back in Bradford for 4.30 without any of the usual M62 delays.
Many thanks to Lorna and Andrew for organising and to Lorna for leading the day.
Stuart
Margaret
Sue
Margaret
John Gavaghan