Peach and Pippin is the new incarnation of Marina O'Connell's smallholding in Manningtree, Essex - Rebecca and Ian saw that the Apricot Centre, Marina's farm with its wonderful orchards and spaces, was for sale. Ian had always wanted a van and Rebecca dungarees. It seemed the perfect match. Four acres of organic paradise, a teaching centre, a woodland, an orchard, a food provider, an incubator, a spreader of goodwill and a home.
Peach & Pippin is a family-run enterprise set up by Ian and Rebecca who live with their three young daughters, Romily, Miriam and Gwendolyn. Both Ian and Rebecca are teachers but also have a habit of complicating their lives with social enterprises, green projects, apple pressing extravaganzas and lots of gardening. Ian has a history in environmental education and enterprise, teaches mindfulness, meditation and Chi Gung, and plants marigolds wherever he goes. Rebecca works in education as a system leader for a multi-academy trust although originally trained in music and arts leadership.
Last week they packed up their home in Hertfordshire, charged up their electric car for it's longest journey yet, to their new home in Essex, where they're now busily setting up shop and harvesting for their first market stall here in Stoke Newington.
They'll be replacing Marina's stall at the farmers' market from Saturday 12 August, with gorgeous plums and apples to come later on in the season. They've also been busy in their test kitchen making fruity baked treats to sell at the market - think heavenly slices of crumble, gooseberry and almond cake and peach fruit pie.
