Over the last twelve years we have planted 1000 apple and pear trees. We have selected old traditional varieties such as Ashmead Kernel, Taynton Codlin, Annie Elizabeth, Worcester Permain, Yellow Ingestrie, Lord Lambourne, Howgate Wonder and Egremont Russet. Others are more modern varieties suitable for organic orchards such as Saturn, Cevaal and Rajka.

Big Blossom orchard blossom comfrey tree

We aim for minimum intervention from tree to table. Most commercial orchards are managed in order to produce blemish free fruit for the table.

On our own orchards we use compost, and comfrey as a foliar spray for fertility. We are also trialling the use of Biofertilisers. Without chemical sprays, the ladybird population explodes and these naturally control greenfly and other bugs that spread viral disease in the orchard. You can read more about this in an article that Matt wrote for the Permaculture Magazine in June 2017

The trees are grown in permanent pasture. This helps to build carbon levels in the soil, and aids long term fertility. Apples are picked by hand.

Watch Matt Dunwell's short talk about how we manage our Orchards here at Ragmans Lane Farm (click here)

  • Introduction to Permaculture

    6-7th May 2017 

    This weekend course offers a chance to get to grips with the core principles of permaculture, its origins and its applications. Permaculture has developed into something that can be applied to every aspect of our lives from self-development to agriculture….so what’s it all about?

    It is a set of design principles, inspired by natural self-sustaining systems and based upon the ethics of caring for people, planet and our combined future. In our introduction you’ll learn about these principles and how they are relevant to your own situation, and how to apply them to your daily life. The course will include the following subjects:

    Earthcare: Permaculture Principles, Linking – creating systems

    Peoplecare: Communication, Communities

    Fairshares: Ethics, Resources

    Methods: Observation – land and people, Design methods

    Gardening: Composting, mulching, polycultures, perennials

    Caroline has been teaching permaculture at Ragmans Lane Farm and other centres around the country for several years and originally trained and worked with Patrick Whitefield. Caroline has a background in market gardening, horticulture, smallholding and design and teaches with clarity and experience.

    Matt is the owner of Ragmans Lane Farm and a permaculture pioneer in the UK. He has gained experience in many fields over the years and is now focussed on developing holistic management practices with his ‘beyond organic’ juice orchards. He has been teaching permaculture for many years and teaches with engaging knowledge and enthusiasm.

    For further information or to book a space please click here


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