Hi this is ME.....talking apples on Sunday, 8th December, 2013.

Hi there,

What an exciting an interesting day this has been for me...talking apples with my son in Australia, frosting my own recipe Festival Carrot Cake and building my new garden composter.

Yes, I did myself in the end, for it was made to be put together in such a straightforward way, it was just like building an upright jigsaw.  So now it's all set up and given its first load of kitchen compostable material and...it's all systems go - so terribly exciting!

I was rather on a roll this morning, just a little excited  and a trifle muddled, so let me put matters right now.  The first Petty family member arrived in Australia, from England, in 1853, one Thomas Petty, who chose land in the Doncaster and Templestowe region.  Thomas' grandson, Thomas Henry, was the first Petty to buy property located at Homestead Road, and the first of three generations to engage with the Homestead Road Orchard, which they continued to do up to 1981 when Parks Victoria became the orchard;s new owner.

Now, the orchard's collection of old and rare apples is looked after by The Heritage Fruits Society, who are part of a world-based movement concerned with the conservation and preservation of antique apple varieties.

The heritage collection comprises over 200 individual kinds of historic apples.

I shall visit Petty's Orchard when I'm in Australia next summer, to be with my family, and I'm very much looking forward to viewing its antique orchard, commercial orchard and other amenities contained within its 44 hectares.

It must be a wonderful venue for apples and humanity alike and the mere thought of being able to inspect it for myself, fills me with great enthusiasm.

I'm perfectly sure there is more to tell you but, right now, that's all I've taken on board...its getting late ...and I simply must stop writing....phew!!!

Also.....more news of my compost build!

All information about Petty's Orchard and The Heritage Fruits Society garnered from their websites, for which I am most grateful to be allowed to utilise.

Daisy

ps photos tomorrow!