Nicola and Nick Jackman have always been hugely keen on growing fruit, having grown fruit trees on an allotment in Twickenham in the past. When they arrived in Sherborne in 2019, they came with the intention of making a difference to their community and to do some work to help improve biodiversity and wildlife in the area.
They were allocated an allotment in April 2020, which was in quite a bad state, so it took most of the rest of that year to clear half of it. Once it was under control they began to think about where to plant fruit trees.
Knowing that they would like to plant a community orchard and to plant one in their own garden as well, they signed up for an orchard design course at Brogdale. This inspired them and answered all their questions.
They visited Shaftesbury community orchard, which is quite mature now, and has been a great success. They also visited the community orchards in Bridport and Haddon Copse Farm, Sturminster Newton, where apples were picked up off the ground for tasting.
Having noticed there was a space grassed over next to their allotment, they thought it might have the potential for both planting fruit trees and encouraging wildlife.
After a lot of emails, Nicola writing a constitution, which fell in line with her vision and satisfied the council, permission was granted. The council was very happy with the idea that the area should become a community project and Nicola and Nick think it is a marvellous way of providing a focal point for the McCreery Road allotment holders.
There are 8 enthusiastic members of the group, who are all happy to be involved.
In the orchard there are 12 fruit trees, 8 apples, 2 pears, 1 cherry and 1 plum. Members of the group chose some favourite varieties and then Nick and Nicola put a plan together that included early, middle and late cropping varieties of apples, local varieties and making sure that each variety had a pollination partner. The focus being on an abundant, disease resistant crop with a good flavour.
The group were lucky enough to have the advice of Simon Ford, a local conservation expert who worked for the National Trust for most of his career. He encouraged Nicola and Nick to plant a wildlife hedge, which they did, with Mike Beale, one of the group doing most of the hard work. Not only will it provide a wind break for the orchard but lots of goodies for the wildlife, such as damsons, rosehips, hazel and crab apples.
Members of the group have helped with planting, and have donated trees. Now the plan is to underplant the orchard with wildflowers.
At a later date there will be pruning and general care to be done. For the first two years any fruit produced will be picked off so that the trees can put their energy into growing good, strong roots and branches.
Future plans are to build a little meeting house at the back and to put up a notice board.
The Tom Putt apple tree was bred by a Reverend Tom Putt who also gave his name to Putts Corner, now the site of the Hare and Hounds pub near Honiton. It is a cider apple but a good eater as well.
The group are just waiting for the final tree, Bryanston Gage, which has been grafted especially for them and then the site will be complete.
Nicola said ‘we are very much looking forward to be given another plot outside of the allotment area for the community of Sherborne. Each day that goes by we realise that we must plant for the future and provide our own food.’