THE APPLE FARMER

THE APPLE FARMER

Driving along the tree lined avenue to the Apple Farm in Moorstown (near Cahir) on the last day of November, I was expecting everything to be very quiet. Instead, it was quietly busy.

Con, with a fairly mature plum tree

The fruit trees, mainly apple and plum, may be more or less dormant but the maintenance work goes on. That was especially evident in the strawberry beds, raised on metal supports, where the dying vegetation was being trimmed back, leaving the crowns.

Technique and timing are each important in the out of season work, especially in the pruning of the trees, and owner Con Traas is confident in the skills of his crew.

Con, whose family came here from Holland in the late 60s, was at his desk, working on the winter edition of The Apple Club Newsletter. Typical of the man, the 1500 copies are printed on recycled paper.

He plays a leading role in the food community in Tipperary, always keen to promote a good product (not just from Tipp) and always keeping an eye on the big supermarkets, especially on their “special” offers.

Con may be vastly experienced in fruit farming but is always willing to learn. He had a PhD student in during the summer studying the bumble bees on the farm and Con learned that he had five species. The student learned a lot and so did Con: “I now know for sure that, if I want plenty of bees to be there to pollinate my apple trees, that I must do my utmost to ensure…plenty of flowering plants to feed my bees when the apples themselves are not in flower.”

Con took time off from the computer to take us on a tour, starting in the shop which is so well stocked with fruit, jams and juices. Then we saw his new processing shed, white and bright and nearing completion. While much of the work in the fields is manual, processing is largely mechanical as we saw when we visited the sorting and juicing areas.

Apple Storage too is pretty high-tech as they are kept in a Controlled Atmosphere within the containers. The amount of oxygen, controlled within the container, plays a big role here in keeping the apples nice and fresh and crispy for you when you need them, even a few months from now.

Then, back to the shop to fill the bags with loads of juice, including my favourite, The Sparkling Irish Apple Juice, fruit (eating and cooking apples) and also lots of jam (mainly the plum, another favourite).

APPLE RECIPES

Apple & Blackberry Cobbler

APPLE RECIPES

It is the apple time of year, lots of them now becoming available at fruit farms and in the farmers markets. Thanks to our friends at All Recipes UK and Ireland, we’ve got no less than 482 apple recipes for you! More than an apple a day.

Find apple recipes for all of your favourites - apple cake, apple crumble, apple pie. They have savoury ways with apples, too - apple-stuffed chicken breast, apple and cheese bruschetta and more.

So get picking and peeling and click right here 

THE MANY APPLES OF BARRYSCOURT

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THE ORCHARD OF BARRYSCOURT

Did you know that the Office of Public Works have an orchard at Barryscourt Castle, near Carrigtwohill. It is laid out to a plan typical of those in use in the 16th century. There are records of orchards there since the 13th century.

Now is a good time to visit and see the fruits of so many varieties: including Beauty of Bath, Eight Square, White Russet, Irish Peach, Summer John, Northern Green, Worcester Permaine and many more.

There are also plantings of pears and quinces here. There is a notice board with details of the plants found in and around the castle, including medicinal plants such as mullein and woundwort and herbs such as parsley, “found in a variety probably surviving from the Middle Ages”. Also present is butterbur, which was used to wrap butter for market.

In the bawn of the castle, there is an herb garden and also a knot (box hedge) garden. There is no entry fee to visit the garden (or the castle itself).

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To read my new post on BARRYSCOURT CASTLE please click here.