The Longest Peel

The Longest Peel Competition has been a favourite with Apple Day organisers and their guests, but the national competition began at the suggestion of the organisers of Damerham Apple Day in Hampshire in 2000. They asked Common Ground to compare the results from competitions around the country to find the Longest of the Longest Peels.

Participants simply peel an apple in a spiral keeping the peel in one continuous piece then measure using a piece of string. Some participants use a hand peeler or knife, others use a hand wound peeling and coring machine. The peeling machine tends to produce much longer peels so this year we have separated these into different categories.

Apple Day Records
Apple Day 2010
Previous Longest Peels

On and around Apple Day, October 21st competitions for peeling the longest unbroken apple peel took place all over the country.

With Common Ground’s thanks to all the participants and Apple Day organizers and to those who have kindly donated prizes which this year include a bottle of 3 year old Somerset Royal Cider Brandy from the Somerset Cider Brandy Company; new sparkling Coleshill House Cider which celebrates the 21st anniversary of Apple Day from the Cotswold Cider Company; a copy of Rosie Sanders beautifully illustrated “The Apple Book” published by Frances Lincoln Ltd in October.

Winner of the Longest of the Longest of the Longest Peel 1990 – 2010 : Barney Hilken a mathematician from Horwich, at Acorn Bank, Cumbria, in 2009, with a peel of 33 feet 91/2inches (10.30m) by hand.

Prize: a bottle of sparkling Coleshill House Cider for the 21st Apple Day and Rosie Sanders new “The Apple Book”.

Apple peeled by hand:
Carl Winham, Apple Day at Acorn Bank, Cumbria, with a peel measuring 12 feet 31/2inches (374.5 cm).
Prize: a bottle of 3 year old Somerset Royal Cider Brandy from the Somerset Cider Brandy Company

Apple peeled by hand:
Andy Crocker, aged 9, Apple Day at Eldred’s Orchard, Blagdon, north Somerset produced a peel measuring 5 feet 7.79 (172.2 cm). Photograph by Peter May.

Apple peeled by peeling machine:
Lucy Fawcett, Eastham Country Park, Wirral, Cheshire’s Apple Day with a peel measuring 8 feet 11 inches (272cm)

Andy and Lucy will receive a copy of Common Ground’s book ‘Apple Games & Customs’, a pack of Apple cards and an Apple Map poster.

The Somerset Cider Brandy Company has been distilling cider since 1989, but apples have been grown and cider has been pressed there for at least 150 years. All the apples used come from Somerset, and most come from Burrow Hill’s own 150 acres of orchards. More than 40 varieties of cider apples are grown and are carefully blended by Tim Stoddart and Julian Temperley.

The cider brandy is described as follows: “Our three year old has a nose of apple which leads onto a floral, spicy palate with a touch of spirit followed by a long lingering aftertaste.”

Their shop is well worth visiting, set amongst acres of orchards and below the extraordinary Burrow Hill, topped by a single sycamore. Or visit their shop online.

Julian Temperley, Somerset Cider Brandy Company Ltd and Burrow Hill Cider. Pass Vale Farm, Burrow Hill, Kingsbury Episcopi, Martock, Somerset TA12 6BU. (01460 249782). www.ciderbrandy.co.uk

The Cotswold Cider Company celebrates Common Ground’s 21st Birthday of Apple Day with a limited edition of 1250 bottles of ‘champagne style’ cider. ‘Coleshill House Cider’ has been produced with the ‘methode champenoise’ to produce a naturally sparkling celebration aperitif with character. The bottle’s label carries the message, “Celebrating Common Ground – Championing Local Distinctiveness”, together with the charity’s beautiful woodcut marking their Apple Day’s 21st birthday, on 21 October 2010; this is accompanied with their message, “As we begun, may it continue”. [by David Holmes after Joseph Crawhill esq. 1821-1896 ]. Rory Souter, founder of The Cotswold Cider Company, comments “Common Ground heralds locally distinctive factors, such as food and drink which derive from an area’s natural surroundings, and as such, the charity represents everything we believe in. Apple Day on 21st October each year is such a valuable date in the diary which celebrates our rare traditional orchards and our rich apple heritage. We think more people should know about it and we’re pleased to help spread the word!”

“Coleshill House Cider” uses certified organic apples from a single orchard in North Wiltshire to produce their special drink. The blend of Dabinett and Browns apples gives a deep, rich flavour, described on the label as “A fruity nose with a crisp, well rounded mouth, dancing in a vibrant effervescence” ! The company also produces the scrumpy style “No Brainer”, as well as the carbonated “SideBurn”, both to popular acclaim.

For more information, Rory Souter can be contacted on rorys [at] cotswoldciderco.com or 07979 957136.

Rosie Sanders is widely recognised as one of Britain’s leading botanical artists. She has been awarded five Gold medals by the Royal Horticultural Society and won the Royal Academy miniature award. Best known for her superlative studies of fruit, apples in particular, she has devoted much of her time to recording old and present varieties culminating in this book, originally published as The English Apple in 1988, now expanded, revised and redesigned. She lives in Devon where she gives botanical painting courses.

THE APPLE BOOK
Written & Illustrated by Rosie Sanders.
Published in association with the Royal Horticultural Society. Frances Lincoln Ltd, 2010.

Rosie Sanders, often described as the best painter of the world’s most famous fruit, has devoted years to researching this book. In 400 exquisitely detailed watercolour illustrations of 144 varieties of apple she depicts the range of form, colour and texture which characterize such varieties as Beauty of Bath, Peasgood Nonesuch, Cox’s Orange Pippin and Egremont Russet.

The apples are shown together with their blossom, twig and leaf. A detailed description by Rosie Sanders records their shape, colour, aroma and season as well as something of the history of each variety. Her line drawings in cross-section complete a comprehensive guide to identification and a source of inspiration for apple growers.

Barney Hilken, also winner in 2005, 2007 and 2008 with a peel of 10.30 metres or 33.79 feet
which is almost double the length he achieved last year at Acorn Bank’s Apple Day, Cumbria, organised by the National Trust.

Harry Mason (aged 10)
with a peel of 3.4m or 11.16 feet
at Apple Day Bickley Hall Farm, Malpas, organised by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust.

Barney Hilken Acorn Bank, Cumbria 5.31m 17.421ft
Leslie Pachebat (f) Ely, Cambs 5.30m 17.388ft

CONGRATULATIONS! Prizes included bottles of Somerset Royal cider brandy kindly donated by the Somerset Cider Brandy Company, and Common Ground’s Apple Map and other posters.

Over 16
658cm by Barney Hilken at Acorn Bank Apple Day in Cumbria, peeling a Crispin apple.

16 & under
152cm by Alex Abbott at Charlton Orchards Apple Day in Somerset peeling a Cox's orange Pippin.

16 & under
262cm by Rowan Williams at Wirral Wildlife Apple Day, Brimstage Hall on the Wirral.

CONGRATULATIONS! to all the winners this year who each recieve a box of apples from donated by Crapes Fruit Farm in Colchester, an apple tree donated Rogers Nursery in Pickering and Common Ground books and posters.

Apple Day Records Apple Day 2010 Previous Longest Peels

Apple Day Records
Apple Day 2010
Previous Longest Peels