In the quiet loft of the fruit store, Nicky lays each apple and pear carefully on the wooden racks. The slatted shelves let the air flow gently around the fruit, keeping them cool and dry. This simple act, repeated harvest after harvest, is one of the oldest ways to prepare fruit for the seasons ahead.

Not every pear or apple is destined for the kitchen straight away. Some are chosen to be kept aside, drying slowly, their flesh softening over time while their seeds rest within. By allowing the fruit to dry in this way, the seeds inside can be collected later, well-matured and ready for the next stage of their journey.

Traditional stores like this one were designed with seed-saving in mind as much as for preserving food. The thick walls hold back the warmth of the day, while small windows provide a gentle breeze. Fruit is laid out in neat rows, each piece kept separate so that no bruises spread from one to another. The store becomes a quiet library of varieties, each apple or pear a volume of potential, holding within it the possibility of a new tree.

When the fruit finally begins to shrivel, the seeds are carefully gathered, dried further, and labelled for the next season’s sowing. These saved seeds are a link between generations of orchard keepers, a living record of varieties that might otherwise be lost. In this way, the simple act of laying fruit on a wooden rack connects today’s work with centuries of tradition.