March 2025: Purchase of MAN heritage trees – Members only
A unique opportunity to own MAN heritage apple tree(s)
Trees in pots
As you know, Frank Matthews has made a copy of our Paramor orchard tree collection and they grafted and grew two grafts of each tree (for redundancy).
We now have many of the “spare” grafted trees for sale immediately to MAN members; so here’s an opportunity to obtain potted, grafted heritage apple trees.
Bare-root trees
We also have to take trees out at Paramor and Ty Glyn as part of progressive rationalising the holdings at each orchard.
If you are interested in any (bare root trees only) from these two orchards please let us know by the 20th April as they could be available now, otherwise they’ll come out when we have the time.
See full details of all available trees on the Surplus Trees page, including spreadsheet-lists of the trees. Please note – you will need to be a paid-up member to view this page.
Marcher Apple Network Grafting Session
Great news! The March 2025 MAN Grafting Course is confirmed.
We are pleased to announce that we will be running a grafting course on Saturday 8th March at Nash Village Hall (SY8 3AL) led by our own Wade Muggleton and Isabelle Harris.
The course will start at 10am and last 2 hours and will focus on apple grafting.
For those who are interested we will have lunch at a local pub.
Further details will be provided closer to the date.
We still have some places available so if you would like to attend, please email Gareth Kennard-Holden, the MAN Secretary, at secretary@marcherapple.net and give an estimate of number of root stocks you would want to graft.
Photo credit: Cardiff Council
BBC News article:
Gabalfa apple could return to city after 100-year absence
A rare type of apple for which Cardiff was once famed is to be reintroduced in the Welsh capital after a century-long absence.
Article: How the National Fruit Collection is working to save rare apple species from extinction MAN gets a mention in this update from the University of Reading. Read the article here.
Photo by Rob Wicks on Unsplash
Notice of 2024 AGM
Notice is hereby given that the 29th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING will be held at the Kemp Room, Mascall Centre, Lower Galdeford, Ludlow, Shropshire, SY8 1RZ on Saturday 9th November, 2024. See details at AGM 2024.
Post-AGM site visit to ancient orchard near Tenbury Wells
After the conclusion of the AGM, attendees have the option to visit a MAN member’s ancient orchard (some trees over 100 years old) containing apples, pears, damsons and plums.
The orchard is in three areas: the oldest on a south facing slope, the main productive orchard on a gentle north facing slope and other trees are in an area of wild flower meadow.
There are 148 main fruit trees with the orchard, ponds, flower meadow and hedgerows under DEFRA Higher Level Environmental Stewardship.
Stout footwear recommended. Details on how to get there will be provided at the AGM.
Subs Reminder – just a reminder the membership fee is now £20 a year payable 1st August and we have moved bank from Barclays to Lloyds all details are at Payment – Marcher Apple Network so if you are still paying the old £10 or need to set up a new standing order with Lloyds can we please ask that you address the matter? And if you haven’t yet paid for the year 2024/25, would you please do so as soon as possible? Thank you.
New apple identification video
See the new apple identification video featuring John Bunker from Maine, USA John Bunker Apple ID. This will be available on our website in the longer term on our Identification page (click ‘Research’ above – then ‘Identification’ from the drop-down menu – under ‘YouTube videos on apple identification’).
Preliminary DNA results in for apples and pears!
Peter Laws has received 2023 DNA results for apples (576) and pears (95). NIAB have confirmed that they have started a repeat analysis of the whole analysis of the 2023 DNA campaign with reference samples included. Preliminary results may be available towards the end of 2024. Watch this space for further updates.
