Useful Links
General Interest
The British Beekeeping Association www.bbka.org.uk
This is the UK’s largest membership organisation dedicated to promoting honeybees and bee related products.
Common Ground www.commonground.org
The charity which launched National Apple Day in 1990 and which continues to champion local distinctiveness, diversity and many aspects of our cultural heritage. A publisher of numerous helpful apple and orchard related leaflets and books.
Fruit Forum www.fruitforum.net
A web-based forum and blog where all manner of fruit and orchard related news and comment are exchanged and discussed. The site is edited by English fruit expert Joan Morgan.
Fruit ID.com www.fruitid.com
A UK-based community led website designed to assist with fruit identification. Contains thousands of helpful colour images of apples, pears and plums plus botanical notes and histories.
The Gleaning Network https://feedbackglobal.org/campaigns/gleaning-network/
Feedback’s Gleaning Network works with farmers and growers across the UK to rescue food that would otherwise be wasted. They do this by coordinating and supervising a team of eager volunteers. Feedback are working to explore the potential for a wider-range of solutions to the annual surplus of apples and other fruit – in homes, public spaces and private orchards – that too often go to waste, through no one’s fault. If you’d like more information on this, please contact dan@feedbackglobal.org
The Mistletoe Pages www.mistletoe.org.uk
Information on mistletoe in the UK, its biology, traditions, cultivation and conservation.
National Association of Cider Makers www.cideruk.com
A website maintained by members of the UK’s cider community. Hosts a wealth of information including a bookshop, a blog, plus lists of producers, equipment suppliers and news about cider events.
National Fruit Collection www.nationalfruitcollection.org.uk
The UK’s National Fruit Collection is based just outside Faversham in north Kent and is the largest collection of orchard fruits in the world. It is a major visitor attraction. The trees are owned by Defra and are curated by Reading University. The web-based photo library with descriptions and images of many of the orchard fruits held there is a useful fruit identification aid.
The Orchard Network www.ptes.org/campaigns/traditional-orchards-project/orchard-network
A website hosted by the London-based charity The Peoples’ Trust for Endangered Species. It publishes guidance and advice of local and national interest, using information and expertise obtained from around 40 orchard groups based across Great Britain.
Other local orchard groups in the East of England
Bedfordshire and Luton Orchard Group (BLOG) www.facebook.com/pg/BedfordshireOrchards/about
Cambridgeshire Orchard Group (COG) www.cpbiodiversity.org.uk/traditional-orchard-group
Hertfordshire Orchard Initiative (HOI)
Rivers Heritage Site & Orchard (RHSO) www.rhso.co.uk
Stamford Community Orchard Group (SCOG) www.scog.org.uk
Suffolk Traditional Orchards Project (STOG) www.suffolkbiodiversity/orchards.aspx
Orchard equipment and supplies
Inclusion in this section does not imply that EEAOP endorses or represents such products.
British Hardwood Tree Nursery www.britishhardwood.co.uk
Suppliers of a range of planting sundries including Tubex shelterguard mesh tree guards
Harrod Horticultural www.harrodhorticultural.com
A mail order gardening equipment company which offers a range of fruit presses, plus pruners, picking baskets and other hand tools useful for orchard work.
Love Brewing www.lovebrewing.co.uk
Suppliers of the largest range of both large and small fruit crushers and presses, mainly suitable for small scale juicing and cider making operations.
Pick up the Apples www.pickuptheapples.com
The Apple Wizard is a simple yet innovative tool that eliminates the back-bending process of picking up apples, nuts, other fruits from the ground.
Solufeed www.solufeed.co.uk
Suppliers of a range of organic tree care products including the Aston range of garlic tree washes.
Stone Fruit
Nets www.cherrynets.co.uk
Cherry Aid are suppliers of re-usable mesh sleeves for protecting stone fruits from birds
Vigo Ltd www.vigopresses.co.uk
The UK’s premier manufacturer of fruit pressing and cider making equipment, with large and small models for both enthusiasts and commercial operations.
Wolf Garden Tools www.wolfgarten-tools.co.uk
Manufacturers of a range of useful tools suitable for orchardists, including long and short handled pruning saws and fruit pickers.