The message
from "H Ryder" contains these words:

I'd second this. We've just cut one down on advice from a surveyor and were
really glad to see it go. It was huge - almost oak like proportions - and
enough apples woudl fall each day to feed a small village. The whole area
smelt like a cider factory. Unless you are planning to make cider or own a
pig I'd get one grafted onto a smaller root stock. What to do with the
apples really did become an issue

I wish I had that problem.

nd, I have several neighbours who make cider (commercially) and another
who has a press...

--
Rusty
horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

On Mon, 10 Oct 2005 11:36:42 +0200, martin wrote:

On Mon, 10 Oct 2005 03:48:49 +0200, "JennyC"
wrote:


"Jaques d'Alltrades"
The message
from "JennyC" contains these words:
snip
All I know is that Brambly are bugger to pick. Huge high trees and
really large fruit, so that you have to run up and down the ladder a lot :~(

Yes, if you let them run away with you. Our trees (when I was an
anklebiter) were no more than fifteen feet, with a trunk diameter of
around twelve inches at the bases.
We used to run up and down them in plimsolls.
Rusty

These were not my trees........I used to work in the orchards in Kent back in
the 70's :~)
Enormous wooden ladders, canvas backbags, did my shoulder in :~(

Sure they weren't hops? :-)

Nah, they would've done his elbow in.
--
Tim C.

In article ,
Jaques d'Alltrades writes:
| The message
| from "H Ryder" contains these words:
|
| I'd second this. We've just cut one down on advice from a surveyor and were
| really glad to see it go. It was huge - almost oak like proportions - and
| enough apples woudl fall each day to feed a small village. The whole area
| smelt like a cider factory. Unless you are planning to make cider or own a
| pig I'd get one grafted onto a smaller root stock. What to do with the
| apples really did become an issue
|
| I wish I had that problem.
|
| nd, I have several neighbours who make cider (commercially) and another
| who has a press...

And, while a Bramley is not a cider apple, it has enough acid and
tannin to make a first-class cider, just on its own.

It isn't a bad eater, if you like a bit of 'bite' and keep it
for some months.

All around, perhaps the best apple ever - which is saying something.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Brian --- 'flayb' to respond wrote:

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...

I saw a newspaper report yeaterday which claimed the UK is the only
country in the world to grow an apple variety (Bramley) specifically for
cooking. Does anyone know if this is true?

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Many reports and articles related to apple growing state that the UK is
the only country to actually grow apples specifically for cooking. I have
always doubted this but have seen it many times and repeated in Google
searches. Foreigners are a peculiar lot!!

Surely the issue is that British 'cooking apples' cook down to a paste
whereas other apples don't. Non-british recipes expect apples to stay
in pieces rather than becoming a paste.

--
Chris Green

The message
from (Nick Maclaren) contains these words:

| nd, I have several neighbours who make cider (commercially) and another
| who has a press...

And, while a Bramley is not a cider apple, it has enough acid and
tannin to make a first-class cider, just on its own.

I used to make cider from any old apples I could lay my hands on, then
lob in a few buckets of crabapples...

It isn't a bad eater, if you like a bit of 'bite' and keep it
for some months.

I like it fresh off the tree. It's an excellent eater as well as the
best cooker ever, IMO of course.

All around, perhaps the best apple ever - which is saying something.

Well, horses for courses. It is certainly up there with the best of them.

--
Rusty
horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

JennyC wrote:
"Jaques d'Alltrades"
The message
from "JennyC" contains these words:
snip
All I know is that Brambly are bugger to pick. Huge high trees
and
really large fruit, so that you have to run up and down the
ladder
a lot :~(

Yes, if you let them run away with you. Our trees (when I was an
anklebiter) were no more than fifteen feet, with a trunk diameter
of
around twelve inches at the bases.
We used to run up and down them in plimsolls.
Rusty

These were not my trees........I used to work in the orchards in
Kent
back in the 70's :~)
Enormous wooden ladders, canvas backbags, did my shoulder in :~(
Jenny

It occurs to me, in my Professor Branestawm mode, that there may be a
solution. I have no idea if it would work, but what about a long
narrow tube of cloth, like a skinny giant's stocking, with a hoop of
wire, cane, or withy at the top? You take the hoop end up the tree
with you, leaving the floppy end in a wheelbarrow; drop each apple
into the tube as you pick it. Would the cloth slow down the apple
enough to prevent bruising? Would there be a way of stopping the
whole thing blocking up at the bottom and leaving you clutching a
floppy ten-foot stick of apples?

--
Mike.

The message
from "Mike Lyle" contains these words:

It occurs to me, in my Professor Branestawm mode, that there may be a
solution. I have no idea if it would work, but what about a long
narrow tube of cloth, like a skinny giant's stocking, with a hoop of
wire, cane, or withy at the top? You take the hoop end up the tree
with you, leaving the floppy end in a wheelbarrow; drop each apple
into the tube as you pick it. Would the cloth slow down the apple
enough to prevent bruising? Would there be a way of stopping the
whole thing blocking up at the bottom and leaving you clutching a
floppy ten-foot stick of apples?

Tool ate.

We were using a long bamboo with a fishing net on the end in the '40s.
The wire frame of the net was tear-shaped, so that as you drew the net
back the apple was secured in the net and the stalk slid into the beak,
and separated.

If you want to avoid bruising you must pick one apple at a time. If you
note blemished/mis-shapen ones which you would use immediately, then you
can pick several in the one erection^H^H^elevation.

--
Rusty
horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

Mike Lyle wrote:
JennyC wrote:

"Jaques d'Alltrades"

The message
from "JennyC" contains these words:
snip

All I know is that Brambly are bugger to pick. Huge high trees

and

really large fruit, so that you have to run up and down the

ladder

a lot :~(

Yes, if you let them run away with you. Our trees (when I was an
anklebiter) were no more than fifteen feet, with a trunk diameter

of

around twelve inches at the bases.

We used to run up and down them in plimsolls.

Rusty

These were not my trees........I used to work in the orchards in

Kent

back in the 70's :~)
Enormous wooden ladders, canvas backbags, did my shoulder in :~(
Jenny


It occurs to me, in my Professor Branestawm mode, that there may be a
solution. I have no idea if it would work, but what about a long
narrow tube of cloth, like a skinny giant's stocking, with a hoop of
wire, cane, or withy at the top? You take the hoop end up the tree
with you, leaving the floppy end in a wheelbarrow; drop each apple
into the tube as you pick it. Would the cloth slow down the apple
enough to prevent bruising? Would there be a way of stopping the
whole thing blocking up at the bottom and leaving you clutching a
floppy ten-foot stick of apples?


That sound just like the idea that the airlines were trying, to get
passengers out. Sadly they didn't think of the wheelbarrow at the
bottom as that'd be funny.

It's worth a try though! Your idea, I mean.


Richard.

wrote in message ...
Brian --- 'flayb' to respond wrote:

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...

I saw a newspaper report yeaterday which claimed the UK is the only
country in the world to grow an apple variety (Bramley) specifically for
cooking. Does anyone know if this is true?

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Many reports and articles related to apple growing state that the UK is
the only country to actually grow apples specifically for cooking. I have
always doubted this but have seen it many times and repeated in Google
searches. Foreigners are a peculiar lot!!

Surely the issue is that British 'cooking apples' cook down to a paste
whereas other apples don't. Non-british recipes expect apples to stay
in pieces rather than becoming a paste.
Chris Green

In Holland they make applecompot from Goudrenetten (no idea what that is in
English)
These are eating apples but cook down to a mush, much like Brambley's.

Jenny

"martin" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 10 Oct 2005 03:48:49 +0200, "JennyC"
wrote:


"Jaques d'Alltrades"
The message
from "JennyC" contains these words:
snip
All I know is that Brambly are bugger to pick. Huge high trees and
really large fruit, so that you have to run up and down the ladder a lot
:~(

Yes, if you let them run away with you. Our trees (when I was an
anklebiter) were no more than fifteen feet, with a trunk diameter of
around twelve inches at the bases.
We used to run up and down them in plimsolls.
Rusty

These were not my trees........I used to work in the orchards in Kent back in
the 70's :~)
Enormous wooden ladders, canvas backbags, did my shoulder in :~(

Sure they weren't hops? :-)
Martin

Did that too, but with a tractor. I was driver :~))
Jenny

"Mike Lyle" wrote
JennyC wrote:
"Jaques d'Alltrades"
The message
from "JennyC" contains these words:
snip
All I know is that Brambly are bugger to pick.
Enormous wooden ladders, canvas backbags, did my shoulder in :~(
Jenny

It occurs to me, in my Professor Branestawm mode, that there may be a
solution. I have no idea if it would work, but what about a long
narrow tube of cloth, like a skinny giant's stocking, with a hoop of
wire, cane, or withy at the top? You take the hoop end up the tree
with you, leaving the floppy end in a wheelbarrow; drop each apple
into the tube as you pick it. Would the cloth slow down the apple
enough to prevent bruising? Would there be a way of stopping the
whole thing blocking up at the bottom and leaving you clutching a
floppy ten-foot stick of apples?
Mike.

One has to be VERY careful about bruising apples when picking them. They have to
be put gently into the bag and tipped out real slow.......we'd not get paid for
boxes with bruised apples in them :~(

Commercial apples go into cold store for a long time and any bruised ones can
ruin a whole crate.

Jenny

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
Jaques d'Alltrades writes:
| The message
| from "H Ryder" contains these words:
|
| I'd second this. We've just cut one down on advice from a surveyor and
were
| really glad to see it go. It was huge - almost oak like proportions - and
| enough apples woudl fall each day to feed a small village. The whole area
| smelt like a cider factory. Unless you are planning to make cider or own
a
| pig I'd get one grafted onto a smaller root stock. What to do with the
| apples really did become an issue
|
| I wish I had that problem.
|
| nd, I have several neighbours who make cider (commercially) and another
| who has a press...

And, while a Bramley is not a cider apple, it has enough acid and
tannin to make a first-class cider, just on its own.

It isn't a bad eater, if you like a bit of 'bite' and keep it
for some months.

The ones at the top of the tree always got more sun and turned quite red at
times. I used to keep the best one of the day to eat :~))

Jenny

All around, perhaps the best apple ever - which is saying something.
Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Janet Galpin" wrote in message
...
The message
from "Brian" --- 'flayb' to respond contains these
words:


"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
...
Brian wrote:
[...]
Most surprisingly the MM106 rootstock is itself an
exceptionally
good keeping cooker. Just left alone and not grafted etc.
Best Wishes Brian.

That's very interesting. Other details? (x-ploid, size of crop,
bearing habits, etc)

--
Mike.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~#
Diploid[34], Spur fruiting, Very green and slightly angular~a little
colour. Free fruiting and keeps well. Not used before end Nov. Has no
name~supposedly in common with 90% of UK vars..

Is this true that 90% of UK varieties are unnamed. I have two apple
trees which were apparently part of a job lot of otherwise native
species planted as a small spinney by the previous owners of my house.
I sent the apples to be identified by RHS and they reckoned one was
James Grieve and the other American Mother. They clearly aren't though
and they have defied my efforts to identify them. The 'Mother' apples
are especially good.
How do these unnamed varieties come about and then come to be sold on? I
imagine mine was a part of a very cheap selection. The owner didn't even
realise he'd planted any apples in with the oaks, maples, ashes etc. I
can't see any sign of grafting either, so wonder whether they could just
have been grown from seed

Janet G
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was surprised too. The study found that most villages had at least
one local apple, inherited from some seedling~ and favoured locally. This
was multiplied by the number of villages and found their result to be 9:1
unknown to named.
Best Wishes Brian.

The message
from Janet Baraclough contains these words:

Surely the issue is that British 'cooking apples' cook down to a paste

Not!

Is so!

whereas other apples don't. Non-british recipes expect apples to stay
in pieces rather than becoming a paste.

I'd say it was exactly the other way round.

Not in a thousand years!

I loathe sweet apple pie
filled with mush/paste.

It's only as sweet as the extra sugar you put in, and only 'mushy' if
you add water when you cook the apples - if you don't cook them in the
crust. I grant you, there are sometimes some lumps in the pulp if you do
it that way, but not if the apples are approaching ripeness.

A proper apple pie, as made by my ma or me, has
fruit pieces which are still visually distinct and intact,, and even
though it contains some added sugar, there's still the delicious hint of
cooking-apple tartness in the taste. That's why the bland smooth(real)
custard or cream sets it off to perfection. The apple-pie texture in the
mouth should be a heavenly tripartite combo of firm/crisp pastry,
non-mushy fruit, (but not al dente)and some drooly juice.

My mother's apple pie was the best in the world, so nyahhhhhh!

--
Rusty
horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

On Mon, 10 Oct 2005 19:44:20 +0100, Janet Baraclough wrote:

The message
from contains these words:

Brian --- 'flayb' to respond wrote:

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...

I saw a newspaper report yeaterday which claimed the UK is the only
country in the world to grow an apple variety (Bramley) specifically for
cooking. Does anyone know if this is true?

Janet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Many reports and articles related to apple growing state that
the UK is
the only country to actually grow apples specifically for cooking. I have
always doubted this but have seen it many times and repeated in Google
searches. Foreigners are a peculiar lot!!

Surely the issue is that British 'cooking apples' cook down to a paste

Not!

whereas other apples don't. Non-british recipes expect apples to stay
in pieces rather than becoming a paste.

I'd say it was exactly the other way round. I loathe sweet apple pie
filled with mush/paste. A proper apple pie, as made by my ma or me, has
fruit pieces which are still visually distinct and intact,, and even
though it contains some added sugar, there's still the delicious hint of
cooking-apple tartness in the taste. That's why the bland smooth(real)
custard or cream sets it off to perfection. The apple-pie texture in the
mouth should be a heavenly tripartite combo of firm/crisp pastry,
non-mushy fruit, (but not al dente)and some drooly juice.

Janet

Exactly my feelings too.
All the apples here (Austria) seem to cook down to a mush. Great for
compote but that's it.

--
Tim C.