Plum Charmer Called In To Help Harvest

2 July 2012

An old Worcestershire tradition is being revived in a bid to increase the
region’s plum harvest and ensure Pershore’s Plum Festival has an abundance
of the fruit throughout August.

Pershore has appointed its first Plum Charmer in four centuries to encourage
the crop by playing the clarinet to the plum trees. Local solicitor Paul
Johnson took on the role after discovering the original Plum Charmer
trappings in the basement of his offices during renovations. His job will
now be to serenade the plum orchards throughout July to encourage the fruit
to ripen and grow.

The town’s first plum charmer was a farmer called Thomas Nevill who swore
that his plums tasted sweeter after he’d played the penny whistle to them.

Commenting on the appointment Plum Festival Organiser, Angela Tidmarsh,
said:

“We’ve already suffered with our asparagus this year thanks to the
unpredictable weather so we’re doing anything and everything we can to
guarantee our plum harvest. Pershore’s Plum Festival is its bigger tourist
attraction of the year and critical to the town’s success”.

Paul, who has been given the blessing of his firm Quality Solicitors Thomson
& Bancks to take on the role, has been experimenting with shop bought plums
at home. He has discovered different varieties respond to different types of
music. Pershore’s Purple Plum, for example, seems to prefer classical pieces
such as Elgar whilst the Yellow Egg Plum favours jazz greats like Benny
Goodman and the Victoria Plum has a penchant for The Beatles.

The Pershore Plum Festival lasts for a month and officially launches on 20th
July.