By Tom Fenton – Essex HPS Chairman

Our garden is what remains of an old walled garden in the middle of Coggeshall. Soon after we moved here in 2020 I decided I would plant heritage apples. Essex has a rich tradition of excellent varieties, as I am discovering now that they are beginning to crop. This one is Sturmer Pippin, bred in the village of Sturmer near Haverhill, about 1800 and sent to the RHS in 1827. Its great virtue is, it is extremely late and keeps for an astonishing time. The excellent website fruitid.com tells us: “Its ability to store until late spring was probably the main reason it became a popular and widely grown Victorian variety. Picked in October or November it is very hard and virtually inedible until well into the new year when it mellows to a golden yellow, but is crisp, juicy and in a good year having a good rich flavour.” It has also been noted that samples picked in early January had developed a much better flavour than those that were picked to store in early November. Mind you, leaving the fruit on the tree that late may require protection. I picked mine on December 1st, and they are sharp. fruitid.com says: “Strong characteristic taste like cold steel; crisp, juicy, but needs plenty of autumn sunshine to build up sugar and flavour.” The last two of my crop, seen here, I will leave until January for comparison.

Tom Fenton – Essex HPS Chairman