Saturday 15 October 2022 - 11.00-16.00
It will be held at the Recreation Ground, Mackney Lane, Brightwell cum Sotwell OX10 0SQ.
Highlights include Paul Chilton's giant display of over 100 varieties of apple and pear grown in the village, apple tasting, pressing and juicing, every variation of apple cakes, children's apple activities, chutneys, plus tours of the Community Orchard and more.
This event is FREE.
Many hands make light work. We had 18 willing and keen volunteers scything the orchard today. It took just 2.5 hours to scythe around the 45 trees in the orchard. We use traditional wooden Austrian scythes as they are the best way to negotiate around the trees and slice through the over knee high meadow grass. We found some mouse nests, frogs, toads but no hidden treasure.
We'd like to thank our friends from the Earth Trust who enjoy scything our orchard each summer and teaching us the skills required.
We've just picked 40kg of Tydeman's Early Worcester in an old orchard in the village. On 16th August! Surely that is a first?
Looking around the orchards and trees in gardens there is clear evidence that the trees are under stress due to a combination of high temperatures and lack of water. They will survive but the fruit this year is going to be noticeably smaller.
So too early for Apple Day, but still a lovely taste so we will be juicing them tomorrow.
Once again the flowers in the orchard are looking really lovely. This year the predominant growth were tall grasses, knapweed and . None of the carpet of clover from last summer. Apart from the usual honey and bumble bees the flowers and blossom in the orchard have attracted a large selection of insects.
Our Community Orchard of 45 trees was planted in 2014 and over the years we have shared our knowledge and experience with other villages and communities in the local area.
The orchard has been a wonderful success and clearly more and more communities are planting orchards, some large and some very small. We would be happy to give you advice about:
Hit and miss, lesson learned, hindsight, wish we had thought about that - we'd be happy to help.
Contact us by email for more information - villageorchardgroup@gmail.com
