Blog Post

Wastie Apples

Milly Fyfe • 19 January 2022

I’m so proud of my family heritage!


The Wastie’s of Eynsham were famous apple breeders. My great-great grandfather Fred Wastie developed different apple varieties, working with the Royal Horticultural Society. You can read more about the history of how the Wastie apples came about here: http://www.longmeadwildlifesite.org.uk/famous-eynsham-apple-growers.html

What’s really fascinating is the work my Dad is undertaking to keep the varieties alive. These are the varieties that he either has or the Bernwode nursery keeps.
Varieties Parents
Caudal Market Lane’s Prince Albert x Hambledon Deux Ans
Eynsham Challenger Blenheim Orange x Lord Derby
Eynsham Dumpling Blenheim Orange x Sandringham
Jennifer Duchess Favourite x Beaty of Bath
Jennifer Wastie Ribton Pippin x Barnack Beauty
Old Fred Allington x Court Pendu Plat
Oxford Beauty Gascoynes Scarlet x Scarlet Nonpareil
Oxford Conquest Blenheim Orange x Court Pendu Plat
Oxford Hoard Sturmers Pippin x Golden Russet
Oxford Sunrise Cox’s Orange Pippin x Lane’s Prince Albert
Oxford Yeoman Blenheim Orange x Lane’s Prince Albert
Peggy’s Pride Allingtons Pipp x Golden Spire
Red Army Chatleys Kernel x Worcester Permain
Sergeant Peggy Blenheim Organe x Gloria Mundi


We’ve even got some of the young trees in our farm Orchard. Very fitting when our farm is called ‘Orchard Farm’!

But whilst there are many varieties listed above, there are still many missing. Partly because the original orchard was built on by the Witney to Oxford A40 trunk road. And because more prolific, commercial varieties became in favour.


Missing varieties include:


August Dualtest, Colonel Wastie, Comrade Wastie, Cyril’s Pride, Dispossessed Farmer, Early Woodstock, Eynsham Abbey, Eynsham Beauty, Eynsham Causeway, Eynsham Cross, Eynsham Queen, Eynsham Russett, Eynsham Star, Fred’s Conquest, Fred’s Favourite, Fred’s Reward, Golden Glow, Green Howard, High Sheriff Wastie, Improved King of the Pippins, Jennifer’s Charm, Jennifer’s Joy, Jennifer’s Pride, Kid’s Orange, Orange Newton, Oxford Abundance, Oxford Comrade, Oxford Filler, Oxford Friend, Oxford Heft, Oxford Hussar, Oxford Pippin, Oxford Russett, Oxford Surprise, Peggy Wastie, Peggy’s Favourite, Quince Aroma, Summer Blush, Tony’s Wonder, Wastie’s Allington Image, Wastie’s Comrade, Wastie’s Late Nonesuch, Wastie’s Late Worcester, Wastie’s Pseudo Blenheim, Wastie’s Red Bramley, Wastie’s Winner Woodstock, Keeper Woodstock Seedling. 48 in total.


So I’m hoping that together with my Dad we can find more of these lost varieties one day 🍏


Other News / Blog Stories

Milly Fyfe at the NLive radio studio
by Milly Fyfe 13 May 2024
Northamptonshire Farming Entrepreneur Milly Fyfe® ARAgS will head up a new radio show called ‘Tastes of the Shire; exploring Northampton’s food and farming scene from field to fork’ airs for the first time on Saturday 1st June. The show will feature a variety of interviews with grassroots farmers, producers, makers and foodies from Northampton and the surrounding countryside, to discover what is made, produced, sold and available to enjoy around the local area. Milly commented ‘I have a real passion for sharing amazing stories interviewing inspiring people who grow, rear, and process the food and drink we can enjoy, found right on our doorstep. I hope to take you all on a culinary journey exploring the people behind the farm gate, shop counter, restaurant kitchen and factory wall to discover what makes Northampton taste great.’ The show launch coincides with Northamptonshire Food and Drink Week , which is a campaign to bring people together to celebrate the food and drink scene across the county. Available on 106.9FM, NLive Radio is Northampton’s local radio station and hosts a variety of different music, business and specialist shows including Open4business, 90’s, R&B, rock and the Golden Hour. Station Manager Martin Steers commented ‘We are very excited to welcome a new food and farming show to our station, packed full of engaging conversations with local businesses, producers and food brands. Milly has really grasped the opportunity and we hope that many people tune in to learn more’. The Tastes of the Shire radio show with Milly Fyfe will air on the 1st Saturday of each month, 3-5pm on NLive Radio, the station that loves Northampton. Notes Who is Milly Fyfe ® ARAgS? Milly is from Yelvertoft ( Northamptonshire) and farms with her husband Andrew alongside their two young sons, where they rear beef cattle, sheep, arable crops a few pigs and a kitchen garden. Milly has a background in Marketing and PR and also founded a social enterprise called No Fuss Meals for Busy Parents CIC , helping more people to cook from scratch using local, seasonal produce. In 2023, Milly was awarded an associateship from the Royal Agricultural Societies , farming’s equivalent of an MBE, for her work connecting consumers with UK food production. She is also the current NNBN Northamptonshire business person of the year, a silver Local Food Hero through Northamptonshire Food and drink awards, has a podcast called The Countryside Kitchen meets and was recently recognised by Small Business Britain as a top 100 female entrepreneur in the UK. You can find out more about Milly on social media using the handle @ MillyFyfe on Twitter and Instagram or @MillyFyfeOfficial on Youtube , Facebook and Tiktok . About NLive radio NLive Radio is the local radio station for all the people of Northampton, it operates under a not-for-profit community radio license from Ofcom which is held by and run in partnership with the University of Northampton. All the presenters are volunteers made up individuals from across the community, including staff and students from the University. The station broadcasts on 106.9fm across Northampton, online at nliveradio.com and it's on dedicated smart phone app, as well as on smart speakers via “Launch N Live Radio”
Neil Parish with cattle
by Milly Fyfe 29 February 2024
Somerset and former politician Neil Parish launches a new podcast today
An event with IAGRM TIAH, CARAS, FCN
by Milly Fyfe 4 December 2023
A collaborative farming industry event taking place on 27th February at 1 birdcage walk with TIAH, CARAS, IAGRM, FCN and the Farmers Club under 35's
by Milly Fyfe 10 November 2023
Here is is the 2 minute clip which was produced and shared across social media to highlight the harvest on our farm - Enjoy!
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