The National Trust has reported higher-than-expected harvest volumes of fruit and vegetables across its historic gardens in Devon. Warmer spring temperatures followed by a wet June have led to increased yields of apples, pears, plums, squash, and pumpkins, with crops ripening earlier than usual.
At Buckland Abbey, head farmer Sam Brown said the team had recorded "about 50% more squash and pumpkins than usual" and that harvesting had started ahead of the typical mid-October schedule.
At Cotehele in the Tamar Valley, orchards have produced thousands of apples earlier than anticipated. Head farmer David Bouch said, "This has been one of the hottest years on record, and after a bountiful blossom season, we've had a bumper crop of apples that caught us off guard." To manage the unexpected surplus, the site has added extra public picking days.
At Trelissick, near Truro, assistant head farmer Wella Chubb reported "a fantastic year" for the apple orchard, attributing the results to a warm and sunny spring that supported pollination.
The Trust's estate at Saltram, Plymouth, has scheduled a community apple-picking day for September 18, earlier than usual, due to full orchards.
Harry Whiting, a ranger at Killerton near Exeter, noted "a bumper crop for all fruit trees in our orchards this year, with plums, apples and pears fairing particularly well." He explained: "It was a great year for blossom, with little frosts, rain, or wind allowing for more fruit to set." Apples and pears at Killerton have matured two to three weeks earlier than normal, with picking and pressing also brought forward.
The Trust contrasted this year's results with 2023, when poor weather and slug damage reduced harvests in southern England.
Source: BBC