Organic Fruit

At Tree of Life we are now in the process of planting fruit bushes and trees in our recently acquired 4 acre field. The soil is on the acid side which opens up the opportunity to grow organic blueberries. We intend to grow 4 different varieties which will give us wonderful organic blueberries from June through to September.

Green and red culinary and desert gooseberries are also a firm favourite and much in demand. Next season we will be planting Cornish apple varieties, pears and cherries.

Last year we have had a good crop of Rhubarb due to the wet summer, so much in fact we sold the surplus on to a Cornish ice cream company. Although, strictly speaking, Rhubarb is a vegetable, we're going to talk about it here on the fruit page.
The variety of Rhubarb we grow is 'Dawes Champagne', a heritage Cornish variety bred in the 19th century. It has a red colour with excellent flavour. Vigourous and semi-perpetual, the first sticks can be pulled weeks earlier than other varieties.

We were lucky enough to buy the crowns at an auction 10 years ago from a organic grower called Mr Brown, now retired. He took over his small holding at Trenaunce where the variety had been grown for 60 years. Mr. Brown told us its chequered history. During the war the crop was said to have attracted a premium due to its quality and as such was a closely guarded secret. When the producer who originally grew it came to sell up he preferred to burn the crowns rather than pass them on. Luckily some crowns were rescued by a workman and they found there way to the previous owner at Trenaunce, Mr. Brown, then to us at Tree Of Life.

Please note: Next year Tree Of Life will have organic fruit bushes and organic Rhubarb crowns for sale on this page.

The Quality Cornish Vegetable Box Scheme