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Allotment holder plants vineyard

Published:  23 July, 2008

An allotment holder from Didsbury, near Manchester, is planning to plant one of the northernmost vineyards in England.
John Firth, 76, has approval from the Bradley Folds allotment committee and now intends to plant half a hectare of a Madeleine/Sylvaner cross.
He told Harpers: It just seemed a good idea. The land is high up above the rest of the site, and it slopes down to the south.' Firth doesn't think that the climate in the northwest will be a problem, given that the past few summers have been pretty hot.
The only stumbling block is a patch of Japanese Knotweed growing on the vineyard site, which Firth admits could take a season or two' to clear, seeing as its roots can grow to up to 3m (10ft).
Firth has already tried winemaking before, although he admitted that the end product tasted more like cider'.
The most northerly vineyards in England are Leventhorpe Vineyard near Leeds and Mount Pleasant Vineyard in Camforth, Lancashire.

An allotment holder from Didsbury, near Manchester, is planning to plant one of the northernmost vineyards in England.

John Firth, 76, has approval from the Bradley Folds allotment committee and now intends to plant half a hectare of a Madeleine/Sylvaner cross.

He told Harpers: ?It just seemed a good idea. The land is high up above the rest of the site, and it slopes down to the south.? Firth doesn?t think that the climate in the northwest will be a problem, given that the past few summers have been pretty hot.

The only stumbling block is a patch of Japanese Knotweed growing on the vineyard site, which Firth admits could take ?a season or two? to clear, seeing as its roots can grow to up to 3m (10ft).

Firth has already tried winemaking before, although he admitted that the end product ?tasted more like cider?.

The most northerly vineyards in England are Leventhorpe Vineyard near Leeds and Mount Pleasant Vineyard in Camforth, Lancashire.

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