At The Core: the history and continued heritage of Drove Orchards

Andrew Jamieson's father planted the first orchards more than 70 years ago, the site now employs over a hundred people, but the orchards remain 'at the heart of everything we do'

When I meet Andrew what comes across is his passion not just for Drove Orchards, but for this area of Norfolk. A want to see it thrive, provide local employment, care for its natural beauty - keep its heritage alive.

“We’re standing here today in the heartland of the area I really love,” he tells me, “These are Drove Orchards, orchards are one of the best places to see a diverse and huge range of nature.”

Andrew's wife Linda and his father David, 1965

His father, Major David Jamieson, planted the first apple trees in 1952, after returning from the Second World War. The pick your own orchards now span more than 40 acres of the 350-acre site.

“What he would have loved is the fact that we have a very come hither attitude here at Drove Orchards, I want people to go around the orchards, I want people to have a look.”

He talks passionately about the variety of apples grown, and tells me his favourite is Darcy Spice, because ‘it’s possibly the grumpiest looking apple, but it’s got such an amazing depth of taste’.

In a nearby tent the fruit is pressed, and it's where the apple, pear, quince juice and cider’s made and sold in the farm shop.

As we walk, Andrew talks about coming up with ideas of how ‘best to showcase the crops’ - at the moment stronger spirits like vodka and cider brandy are being distilled.

When we get to the juicing tent I’m introduced to Tom, who manages the production unit.

“Drove Orchards has got such history and heritage and above all else passion for a product which is often underrated I think," he says.

“A proper English apple is a real wonder of beauty, we grow 160 different varieties of apples, three quarters of which are native to East Anglia.

“The heritage that we’re continuing to grow is a really beautiful thing.”

As we carry on walking around, it’s hard to imagine it all began as a tiny shed, where Andrew's father set up a farm shop.

“In the First World War the army used to store here, and there were leftover bomb trollies, he built a farm shop on top of one of those.”

It’s now a destination - a place where people come to enjoy everything from glamping to local ice cream. There are almost 30 businesses, the site employing over a hundred people, with new places continuing to open.

"Frankly, it happened completely by mistake, it's been an organic process - I never sat down with a business plan, it's something that's just grown organically, as a result of having an understanding of what this beautiful coast needs in terms of sustainable employment."

“My father would have loved all this and would have been delighted by the fact that the orchard is at the heart of everything we do," he continues.

“We often get people coming and saying they’ve seen a variety of apple in the farm shop that they haven’t seen for 50 years - which is lovely, isn’t it?”

We wander back to the orchards and Andrew tells me he’s ‘enormously pleased’ that his son Oscar is now running the site, describing it as ‘not just passing on, but passing on and up’.  

The next generation full of 'entrepreneurial fizz' and enthusiasm for the future.

David Jamieson with his grandson Oscar in the orchards

He also chats about being a county councillor, the drive behind that being the importance to provide ‘sustainable things for people to do’.

“For all the visitors here we provide memories, and it provides employment - local employment. I mentioned earlier about nature, this idea about what is a sustainably economic model along the coast here is something that can do all those 3 - it’s nature, and it’s place, and it’s people.

“I believe politically and economically in what I do here, to try and create that balance is the way forward for this part of Norfolk.”

I’ve only met Andrew for a few hours, but his deep love of the history and heritage of Drove Orchards is clear. 

He's someone who's not taken inheritance for granted, using it to benefit the local community, both economically and environmentally.

Let’s hope that passion continues for generations to come.