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The Cream of the Crop: Top Apple Trees for UK Gardens

When it comes to quintessential British fruits, apples reign supreme. These crisp and flavorful treasures have adorned orchards and kitchens across the UK for generations. If you’re keen to add the allure of apple trees to your garden, you’re in for a fruitful adventure. This guide will steer you through the landscape of apple tree varieties, helping you select the finest cultivars for your UK garden. From classic favorites to unique gems, we’ll explore the cream of the crop in apple tree choices, ensuring that your garden yields a bountiful harvest of these beloved fruits.

The Most Popular Uses for Apples:

Apples are more than just a fruit; they’re a cornerstone of British culinary heritage. As explained by experts from ChrisBowers who also provide an excellent guide at https://www.chrisbowers.co.uk/article/the-ten-best-garden-apples/, apples find their way into numerous aspects of British cuisine. Here are two of the most popular uses for these versatile fruits:

  1. Culinary Treasures: Apples hold a cherished place in British kitchens, making their mark in both sweet and savory dishes. From the humble apple pie and crumble to the more sophisticated tarts and sauces, apples lend a delightful and familiar flavor to a variety of desserts. Their natural sweetness and texture also make them a prized ingredient in chutneys, stuffing, and hearty meat dishes, contributing to the rich tapestry of British cuisine.
  2. Refreshing Snacks: Apples are the epitome of convenience when it comes to snacking. Whether enjoyed in lunchboxes, picnics, or as a quick bite on the go, their portability and crispness make them a favorite choice. With an array of flavors and textures—from sweet to tangy, and soft to crunchy—apples cater to a spectrum of taste preferences, rendering them an evergreen snack option.

Selecting the Top Apple Trees for Your UK Garden:

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New commission sheds light on how diaspora communities are impacted by foreign interference

The federal government established the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, led by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, in September 2023.

The Green Line black-and-white logo.
Toronto news outlet The Green Line and The Conversation Canada collaborated on this article, part of The Green Line’s ongoing Diasporic Conversations series. For more information about The Green Line, scroll to the end of this article.

In Canada, foreign interference is defined as “harmful activities undertaken by foreign states or their proxies that are clandestine, deceptive, or involve a threat to any person to advance the strategic objectives of those states to the detriment of Canada’s national interests.”

These threats and activities of state or non-state entities foster polarization, distrust and erode faith in democratic systems.

Hogue’s initial report found that foreign interference occurred in both of the last two federal elections — held in 2019 and 2021 — and is expected to continue.

In contrast to former Governor-General David Johnston’s separate report on foreign interference, the commission made public the bulk of security and intelligence reports during the first stage of the hearings. Most of these documents were declassified and unredacted.

China is the biggest culprit

Among the few countries that the commission examined, the People’s Republic of China was found to be “the foremost perpetrator” of foreign interference. Its sophisticated, pervasive and persistent activities target government officials, electoral candidates, political organizations and diaspora communities.

With billions of dollars poured into its global operation, China expends significantly more resources on foreign interference-related activities than any other country.

The commission’s Stage 1 hearings featured a panel of diaspora community representatives who have been affected by foreign interference and transnational repression. Together with witness statements from members of Parliament and an ex-MP who dealt with foreign interference, a diaspora perspective emerged

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Storage Shed

Student research sheds light on history of Andrews House on Brown campus

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Kate Harty and Catherine Manning’s faces lit up as they surveyed the many boxes and folders of memos, blueprints, newspaper clippings and other documents that awaited them in the Special Collections Reading Room at Brown University’s John Hay Library.

“This is fascinating,” Harty said as she began looking through one of the folders. “We have the chance to sort through these artifacts and piece together a picture of life in a different time.”

For the pair of history concentrators at Brown — Harty, a senior, and Manning, a junior — it’s been a thrilling opportunity to devote a semester to hands-on research about the University’s 123-year-old Andrews House and help support a key moment for Brown’s Cogut Institute for the Humanities, which is set to move into the newly renovated building this summer.

Through Brown’s expansive Undergraduate Teaching and Research Awards program, which funds student and faculty collaboration, the students explored the building’s history under the research supervision of Damien Mahiet, director of academic programs for the Cogut Institute.

“As Cogut prepares to make a new home for humanities scholars, researchers and students, we thought it would benefit the community to understand who previously used the space and for what purposes,” Mahiet said. “Our goal was to further the understanding of the space within which humanities scholars would be working and to make public its historical significance.”

Andrews House
Andrews House before the start of renovations.

For months, construction crews have been extensively renovating and restoring the building at 13 Brown St. in Providence, which was built in 1901 as a textile manufacturer’s mansion and has been owned by Brown since 1922. Meanwhile, in the library, the research team discovered new and expanded information about the building’s history that will be incorporated into the Cogut Institute’s

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Electrical Accident Analysis Sheds Light on Industry Stats

  • Seventy percent of workplace electrical fatalities occurred in non-electrical occupations.
  • Thirty percent of workplace electrical fatalities occurred in electrical occupations.
  • Six percent of all fatalities were caused by contact with electricity.
  • There was a 1.5% average decrease in workplace electrical fatalities year over year.
  • The construction industry had the highest number of electrical fatalities (electricians accounted for 195 deaths, making it the occupation with the greatest number of fatalities).

Digging into these stats a bit further, based on information from OSHA as well as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries (SOII), ESFI’s analysis revealed some additional key points: electrical fatality rates per 100,000 workers have remained consistent while overall fatality rates have increased; Hispanic or Latino workers have the highest rate of electrical fatalities (and that rate continues to rise); and construction/extraction occupations, installation, maintenance, and repair occupations, and building/grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations have the highest rate of electrical fatalities.

Why do the same types of accidents continue to occur in the construction and electrical industries — with fall protection serving as a perfect example? For the 13th year in a row, “Fall Protection — General Requirements” secured the No. 1 spot on OSHA’s Top 10 most frequently cited safety standards for 2023. Presented by OSHA’s Region 6 Administrator Eric Harbin during the 2023 National Safety Council (NSC) Safety Congress & Expo, which took place from Oct. 20-26, 2023, the list remains relatively unchanged from previous years. Visit our gallery to see the full list of violations along with more details. Although individual categories tend to swap positions from year to year, the same usual suspects show up again and again. What troubles me most after looking through this year’s list is the fact that none of

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Storage Shed

Megan Thee Stallion Sheds More Skin On Her New Single “BOA”

Megan Thee Stallion continues to shed her skin and reintroduce herself to the world via a serpent theme in all of her releases. The latest, “BOA,” is her most confident effort yet.

The track, produced by LilJuMadeDaBeat, samples Gwen Stefani’s 2004 record “What You Waiting For?” Meg delivers a barrage of bars on the upbeat jam, dismissing her competition and asserting her dominance within the space.

“Doing sh*t for TikTok, bi**h I’m really Hip-Hop/ They all know my sh*t hot, ain’t listen when yo sh*t drop/ All my diamonds dancing I ain’t need to make no TikTok,” she spits in the hook. Notably, the Grammy winner does not specifically name anyone in the Hip-Hop space despite the fact she has been dubbed the artist to fire the first shot at Drake on “Hiss.” Kendrick Lamar followed up on his “Like That” verse back in March, leading to their current, tense beef. Listen to her new single “BOA” below.

Of course, there is also the ongoing tension with Nicki Minaj which hit a peak in January with the release of “Hiss” and Minaj countering with “Big Foot.” Things have been quiet between the two since, and the warning shots on “BOA” seem to be targeted at everyone in the rap game; Thee Stallion is galloping along and passing by anyone she sees fit.

“BOA” follows Megan Thee Stallion’s January single “Hiss” and the December 2023 release “Cobra,” all of which contribute to her running serpent theme. “Hiss” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and made history as the first female solo rap song to debut atop the Billboard Global 200. She also brought back #MeganMonday this week with a fiery freestyle over Gucci Mane’s legendary “I Think I Love Her” beat.

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Storage Shed

Woman locked inside burning storage shed in 2023 was victim of ‘tragic accident,’ DA concludes

MURRAY — After hundreds of hours of investigation from city, state and federal officials, hundreds of pages of written reports and over $100,000 spent as part of an investigation that went on for over a year, the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office announced Friday that no charges would be filed in the 2023 death of a woman found locked inside a burning storage shed.

Instead, Sim Gill says the death of Morgan Kay Harris, 27, appears to have been “an accidental tragic loss of life.”

On Feb. 18, 2023, a fire was reported inside a small storage unit at 4608 S. 900 East. A padlock on the door prevented fire crews from immediately entering. Once inside, the bodies of Harris and her dog were discovered.

Alexander Paul Wardell, 30 — Harris’s boyfriend who is suspected to have been living with her in the shed — was arrested for investigation of negligent homicide and kidnapping. Police say Wardell admitted to putting Harris in the storage unit, putting a lock on the door and then leaving.

However, after an extensive investigation that involved the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Gill sending two of his chief deputies to Maryland where several days of burn tests were conducted on a replica storage unit, the district attorney said Friday that investigators reached the conclusion it was “not likely” that Wardell intentionally set the fire.

While the cause of the fire remains “undetermined,” Gill says the leading theories are that a cigarette or candle lit inside the shed caught a wicker basket on fire, which quickly spread to numerous other combustible materials stacked in the small space. The district attorney noted that the storage unit had no electricity, heat or windows and was pitch black when the door was shut. He said

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Modern Farmhouse

Washington Week Ahead: House Ag GOP seeks to sell its farm bill; ‘Modern Ag’ showcased

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson works to build the case this week for a farm bill that so far lacks any Democratic support ahead of the panel’s scheduled votes May 23.

Details of the legislation have yet to be released, but Thompson issued a broad outline of the planned legislation last week, and is expected to issue a series of papers this week defending the GOP approach on a number of issues, including Inflation Reduction Act funding; the Thrifty Food Plan formula for setting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits; and California’s Proposition 12, which sets animal welfare standards for pork and eggs sold in the state.

Thompson says he still hopes to lure some Democratic support that he will need on the House floor. But Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., countered Thompson by releasing a more detailed summary of her farm bill the same day as he released his outline. There are numerous differences between the bills, chief among them that the Democratic bill would not impose any cost-cutting restrictions on the way that USDA conducts future updates of the Thrifty Food Plan.

The top Democrat on House Ag Committee, David Scott of Georgia, described Stabenow’s bill as “wonderful.” “The American people, and especially our farmers, deserve us to move forward in a good bipartisan way,” he told Agri-Pulse.

It’s unclear what the path to a bipartisan deal is. Stabenow said she has no plans to schedule votes on her draft but is trying to get Republicans to negotiate a compromise.

“But I think just the fact that we’re making progress, and we’re seeing the meat on the bones of proposals is a step toward. … Everybody in the ag community is just hoping that we can find a real bipartisan path forward by starting the

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Modern Farmhouse

‘Exceptional’ restored farmhouse in rolling hills of Cheshire countryside for sale

AN ‘exceptional’ restored farmhouse nestled ‘amidst the rolling hills of the Cheshire countryside’ has been put up for sale.

The five-bed property, off Stable Lane in Cotebrook, near Tarporley, is surrounded by fields used by sheep and horses for grazing.

The ‘fully-renovated’ 200-year-old home, made of Cheshire brick and sandstone, is being marketed for offers above £1.75 million by estate agents Storeys of Cheshire.

A property listing on Rightmove says: “Turning off the aptly named Stable Lane, electric gates – controllable by intercom, keypad and fob – open to the estate gravel driveway, offering an abundance of parking, alongside the detached, four-car garage with attached office building and shed.

“A rural refuge, sense the separation from the wider world as the gates quietly close, and the patter of daily life is replaced by the soothing silence of the countryside, broken only by the contented bleating of sheep and champing sounds of horses.”

Inside the farmhouses, visitors step into an ‘airy, open and light’ entrance hall, off which can be accessed a family room, a living room, a boot room and a utility room.

Also on the ground floor is a further sitting room and the kitchen/diner.

The listing adds: “Captivating views await from the culinary hub of the home, the spacious kitchen-diner, part of a modern extension furnished with bi-folding floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors which open to connect the home with the terrace and unbroken scenes of the countryside.

“A huge, open, bright space with sociable central island breakfast bar, topped in cool white marbled granite, the kitchen is the heart of the home.

“Stainless steel appliances include an induction oven, dishwasher, wine fridge and cooler, alongside a bespoke Samsung navy fridge-freezer with filtered ice and water, instant boiling water tap and farmhouse ceramic sink.”

Heading upstairs from the entrance

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Modern Farmhouse

Modern farmhouse style home in Mantua complete with chicken coop sells for $550K. See inside

House for sale.

House for sale.

Four properties sold for more than $500,000 in Portage County for the week of Feb. 26, 2023.

One property in Mantua sold for $557,500.

  • 12941 East Point Dr, Mantua, $557,500

  • 761 River Run Rd, Aurora, $547,055

  • 11415 Chamberlain, Streetsboro, $535,000

  • 83 Sapphire Ln, Streetsboro, $505,000

According to Realtor.com, the Mantua home on East Point Drive was built in 2015 on a 1.6-acre lot. At 2,902 square feet, the home has four bedrooms, two full and one half bathrooms and a two-car garage.

The listing states that the updated colonial-style home utilizes a contemporary farmhouse aesthetic including a sliding barn door leading into a den that previous owners used as a bar area. It could also be used as an office space or children’s play area.

The living room features a stone fireplace and wall of windows. Its open layout leads into the kitchen with its stainless steel appliances, island, and eating area with sliding door access to the patio and backyard. An office, laundry room and powder room round out the main floor.

Upstairs, the primary suite features a spacious bedroom, two walk-in closets and en suite bathroom with a double vanity, soaking tub and walk-in shower.

Three other bedrooms and another full bathroom are also located upstairs.

The lower level is unfinished but includes plumbing for an additional bathroom, according to the listing.

Outside, the backyard has a stamped patio with a fire pit and chicken coop. The listing also notes that the property backs up to a preserve stream for the LaDue Reservoir.

See photos of the home here.

PORTAGE COUNTY

Atwater

  • 6281 Waterloo, Kaiser Kenneth to Moncher Jacob & Emily Harris (J&S), $203,500

  • 6295 Waterloo, Kaiser Kenneth to Moncher Jacob & Emily Harris (J&S), $203,500

Aurora

  • 1125 Lake, Walsh Robert J Jr

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Storage Shed

Fire at 201 Poplar sheds light on jail needs for staffing | News

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A weekend fire at 201 Poplar has brought the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office staffing shortages back into the spotlight.

Exactly how bad is the staffing shortage? Chief Deputy Anthony Buckner told FOX13 there are currently about 2,100 inmates housed at 201 Poplar, but they only have about 460 jailers.               

He said for the jail to run as efficiently as it’s supposed to, they need about 800, almost double that number. “Unfortunately, the jail is an unpredictable environment,” Buckner told FOX13.

He acknowledged those adjustments are not always perfect. He said, “We’re down somewhere around 400 correctional officers, but we’re making adjustments constantly.”

Over the weekend, Buckner issued a statement after four inmates were injured in what the sheriff’s office called a ‘disturbance’ at the jail. In that statement, Buckner said, “[T]his incident is an example of the critical need for a new jail and increased corrections personnel.”

RELATED: 4 inmates injured after fire set inside 201 Poplar, cell doors broken, SCSO says

Sheriff Floyd Bonner also brought up staffing after the death of Deion Byrd, an inmate stabbed to death by another inmate in a holding area outside of a courtroom.

The latest report card from the jail shows in March, the most recent data available, jailers worked more than 15,000 HOURS of overtime. That’s up from 12,000 and 13,000 in the two previous months. “We try to make sure that we are staffing the areas as best we can. Obviously, it’s no secret we have staffing issues, and we continue to try to market the agency to grant more people to become members of the sheriff’s office.”

Last month, FOX13 told you Sheriff Bonner announced plans to remove his staff from the Youth Justice Center and bring those officers

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Modern Farmhouse

Modern Farmhouse Retreat Steps from South Shore Beach in Little Compton Hits Market for $1,750,000

11 N Tuniper Lane | Little Compton, RI | 3 bedrooms, 3 full & 2 half bathrooms, 3,320 sq ft | offered by Residential Properties Ltd. for $1,750,000.

Welcome to your dream home within walking distance of South Shore Beach in Little Compton! This stunning modern farmhouse, only 5 years young, invites you to experience coastal living at its finest.

Boasting three exquisitely designed bedrooms, each with its own luxurious bathroom, including a primary suite conveniently located on the first floor, this home offers both comfort and sophistication.

Entertain with ease in the open eat-in kitchen and family room, or unwind in the expansive screened-in porch, perfect for enjoying warm summer evenings. Need extra space? The finished basement with its own outside access provides endless possibilities.

No need to worry about comfort, as this home comes equipped with central air, central heat, and a whole house generator for peace of mind. Step outside to discover meticulously landscaped grounds and a serene outdoor shower, enhancing your coastal experience.

With two wells on the property and a multitude of features too numerous to list, this property is a rare find. Whether you’re seeking a year-round residence or a summer getaway, don’t miss out on the opportunity to make this home yours. Buyer to pay LCACT at time of closing. Schedule your viewing today and prepare to fall in love!

 

LEARN MORE, SEE MORE PHOTOS, AND SCHEDULE A VIEWING

 




 

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