Cox's Apple

Considered by many to be England's greatest dessert apple Cox's Orange Pippin developed from a chance seedling way back in the 19th Century.

It's a delicious apple with a range of flavours sometimes described as melon, pear, orange juice or even mango. If you've never tried a Cox's apple you are in for a treat.


Grown in our own orchard here at Redmoor Lane just off the A47 at Wisbech.

Available to purchase from our Orchard Farm Shop, Redmoor Lane, Wisbech, PE14 0RN. Opening hours currently 8am -4pm Monday to Saturday, 9am - 4pm Sunday.

The Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival History and 2014 date

 

Whittlesea is an ancient Fenland town about 25 minutes drive away from our Farm Shop (Redmoor Lane, Wisbech) each January it plays host to the Straw Bear Festival.

 The Festival of the Straw Bear is an old fenland custom that died out in the early 20th Century: a man or boy, covered from head to foot in straw, was led from house to house where he would dance in exchange for gifts of money, food or beer.

In 1980 the Whittlesea Society revived the custom and The Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival was born. On the Saturday of the festival, the Bear processes around the streets with its keeper, followed by traditional dancers, musicians and a decorated plough. The next festival is 10th -12th January 2014. More information can be found at The Whittlesea Sraw Bear official website.

Image:Kev747licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported  

Jonagold Apples

The Jonagold apple is a firm favourite with many of our customers, not surprising really considering how good it tastes!

Jonagolds are a nice crisp apple, with sweet white flesh and just the right amount of acidity.

Grown here in our orchard on Redmoor Lane, Wisbech it was actually developed in the USA in the 1940's. Jonagold's parents are an American apple called Jonathan and Golden Delicious.

This is a large apple so it's perfect for sharing.

Available to purchase from our Orchard Farm Shop, Redmoor Lane, Wisbech, PE14 0RN. Opening hours currently 8am -4pm Monday to Saturday, 9am - 4pm Sunday.

Fenland Celery awarded EU protected status

Fenland Celery, you won't find finer and this year it has been awarded EU Protected Geographical Indications Status which means that a least one of the stages of its' production has to take place in the Fens for it to be called Fenland Celery.

Fenland Celery is a heritage winter celery variety. It is paler in colour than standard celery and has unique 'nutty-sweet' flavour.The unique growing method involves banking the soil up around the celery head as it grows to protect it from the frost and gives the celery its exceptional flavour. This video shows the story behind the celery.

Wet Walnuts a brief seasonal treat

Don't wait until Christmas to sit by the fire cracking nutshells, wet walnuts are now in season, they are a true seasonal delight. The flesh of the walnut itself is still moist, hence "wet", so much tastier than the dry shriveled nut of Christmas.

You can read what Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has to say about them here.

If you're lucky enough to know someone who has a walnut tree do ask if they have any to spare. If not we have some for sale here at the Farm Shop, Redmoor Lane, Wisbech, PE14 0RN but hurry as supplies are limited and they sell rather quickly.

Image:Thesupermat licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

Bramblebee Porkers sausages now in The Farm Shop

We're very pleased to announce that we are now stockists of Paul and Maria's  Bramblebee Porkers sausages made from the traditional orchard pig - the Gloucester Old Spot. The pigs are raised locally on the Cambridgeshire / Norfolk border to the highest welfare standards, in groups, outdoors, where they are allowed to carry out 'normal' pig behaviours.
And the sausages are delicious.

Seasonal Eating ~ Locally Grown Fruit & Vegetables in season this November

So it's November already, getting cold and very wet, what's in season:

Beetroot ~ ready to pickle for Christmas or serve as a vegetable right now.

Broccoli ~ a super food that should help build that immune  system up before all the coughs and colds of winter start catching up with us.

Cabbage ~ Pickle it, turn it into saurkraut, eat it right now.

Carrots ~ Full of beta carotene, use as a vegetable or make a carrot cake.

Cauliflower ~ We have some huge cauliflowers in the Farm Shop at Redmoor Lane, Wisbech, PE14 0RN right now, sometimes we even have purple ones and orange / yellow ones!

Celeriac ~ Have you tried mashing some celeriac with your potatoes? Delicious.

Celery ~ You won't find finer than celery grown in the Fens.

Leeks ~ Leek and potato soup anyone?

Onions ~ essential!

Parsnips ~ roasted for Sunday dinner, wonderful.

Potatoes ~ need we say more?

Pumpkins ~ Halloweens been and gone but Pumpkins are still in season for soups, curries, cakes and bakes, much more versatile than you might think.

Squash - we have butternut in the Farm Shop at Redmoor Lane, Wisbech, PE14 0RN

Swede ~ wonderful in soups and stews, mashed with potatoes or just on it's own with butter and black pepper.

And don't forget as fruit growers we have a wide selection of apples and pears grown right here in the orchard. We're still picking so you won't find fresher.