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Nina Plumbe's father, Garry Maufe, started planting the plum orchard on Leith House Farm in the late 1970s. Yet again the government was telling farmers to diversify! Originally the fruit was destined for the London wholesale markets. That was still the case when Nina took over the running of the farm in 1993. Nina had been a happy housewife in London before moving back to Norfolk with her husband, Mr Plumbe, who was going to run the farm. Unhappily they divorced and Nina had to suddenly learn how to farm. Little did she realise the fate that the name Plumbe had given her! The plums took second place while she learned how to grow cereals and sugar beet but gradually more time could be spent in developing the orchard which by now was growing in popularity because of its huge range of plums and gages. In the last five years she has been greatly helped by Clive, her new partner, whom she met whilst motorbiking round the world in 2002. The orchard has over 36 varieties; each ripens as another finishes providing an eight-week plum season. The trees are lovingly cared for by Nina and Clive who do nearly all the work in the orchard except for pruning and selling. Though not strictly organic the orchard appears so, with grass and wild flowers amongst the rather untidy trees! Nina and Clive supply us with plums in season, and also with pressed juice from their apple trees. |
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