Lathcoats Farm Shop, often shortened to just "Lathcoats" is a family run farm shop

Farm shop

A Farm shop is a type of retail outlet which usually sells produce directly from a farm. Some farm shops also resell related goods such as locally produced groceries, foods, drinks and delicatessen products....

, situated in Galleywood

Galleywood

Galleywood is a village surrounded by countryside in Essex, about 30 miles from London, and close to the town of Chelmsford. It is off the A12 which connects to the M25 in London...

, Essex

Essex

Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. It is based on Beehive Lane, where it was established in 1912 by Lawrence Taylor.

History

In 1912, Lawrence Taylor planted the first fruit trees on Lathcoats Farm's 55 hectares. Lathcoats Farm has been in the Taylor family for three generations. Lawrence's only son, Maurice, then took over Lathcoats Farm. Lathcoats Farm Shop is currently run by Maurice's two sons, Philip and Stephen Taylor.

Apples

Lathcoats Farm Shop is well known for supplying over 40 apple varieties, including and supplying the local community as well as Sainsbury's.

Apple varieties

Lathcoats Farm Shop grows and stocks over 40 apple varieties, including: D'Arcy Spice, Queen,
Chelmsford Wonder

Chelmsford Wonder

Chelmsford Wonder is a cooking apple cultivarRaised at Chelmsford c1870 and introduced by local nurseryman William Saltmarsh in 1892. A large long keeping yellow-skinned apple with diffuse orange pink flush. . Still grown in Essex orchards....

,Adams Pearmain

Adams Pearmain

Adams Pearmain is a cultivar of apple. It is a dessert apple, with a similar flavour to the Russet. It was introduced to England in 1826 by Robert Adam, under the name Norfolk Pippin.-See also:* Pearmain*...

, Cornish Gilliflower

Cornish Gilliflower

The Cornish Gilliflower is a cultivar of apple.The cultivar was found in a cottage garden in Truro, Cornwall and in 1813 was brought to the attention of the Royal Horticultural Society by Sir Christopher Hawkins, who was awarded a silver medal "for his exertions"...

, Temptation, Topaz

Topaz

Topaz is a silicate mineral of aluminium and fluorine with the chemical formula Al2SiO42. Topaz crystallizes in the orthorhombic system and its crystals are mostly prismatic terminated by pyramidal and other faces.-Color and varieties:...

, Meridian, Honeycrisp

Honeycrisp

Honeycrisp is an apple cultivar developed at the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station's Horticultural Research Center at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities...

 and Discovery

Discovery

Discovery may refer to:* Discovery , observing or finding something unknown* Discovery , a character's learning something unknown* Discovery , a process in courts of law relating to evidence- Devices :...

Apple Day

Apple Day

Apple Day is an annual celebration, held on October 21 each year, of apples and orchards. It is celebrated mainly in the United Kingdom.Apple Day was initiated by Common Ground in 1990 and has been celebrated in each subsequent year by people organizing hundreds of local events...

Apple Day

Apple Day

Apple Day is an annual celebration, held on October 21 each year, of apples and orchards. It is celebrated mainly in the United Kingdom.Apple Day was initiated by Common Ground in 1990 and has been celebrated in each subsequent year by people organizing hundreds of local events...

is an annual event that officially takes place on October 21 each year. Lathcoats Farm Shop has been celebrating Apple Day for almost 20 years. The event is held at Lathcoats Farm, where locally grown apples and other fruit can be tasted.

Rent a Tree

A scheme was set up in 2000 by Lathcoats Farm Shop to enable people in the community to rent a tree. This means that people can pick the fruit from their tree even if they don't have space to grow one themselves.