EVENTS - 1 AUGUST 2010 ONWARDS                by Ben Pike

Orchard Link Annual Gathering, Lustleigh Village Hall 

Sunday 19^th September, starting at approximately 10am with early bird coffee.  Then Keith Goverd will talk on single variety juices (he produces over 100 different varieties of apple juice, cider, cider vinegar, perry, plum juice and pear juice), leading into tasting and from 12 noon onwards, the Orchard Link presses will be in action producing juice for drinking with lunch.  Lunch will be followed by a brief Orchard Link business meeting and the day will be rounded off with a tour of the Lustleigh village orchard.  Members + one guest free; additional tickets £8 adults & £4 children contact info@beesonhols.co.uk.  Full details provided separately to Orchard Link members. 

Saturday 2^nd October:  Orchard Apple Day at Parke, Bovey Tracey  Contact National Trust for details.

 

Saturday 9^th October: Cornworthy Apple Festival and Autumn Fair

Come to Cornworthy’s autumn celebration and enjoy apple games and activities, stalls and apple inspired refreshments.  Bring any surplus apples to transform into juice on Orchard Link’s apple press!  2pm onwards in the garden of the Hunters Lodge Inn, Cornworthy.

Weekend 9th and 10^th October: Avon Mill Autumn Festival 

Local crafts to see and buy, local food to taste, flower arranging, a steam traction engine, storytelling and children’s activities, plus the chance to bring your surplus apples to press into juice on Orchard Link’s giant apple press make a great way to celebrate autumn. The large apple press will only be in operation on the Sunday.  Open 10am-4pm each day at Avon Mill garden centre, near Loddiswell. ( SX 724 481)  Admission free.

Sunday 17th October 11am-4pm: Sharpham Autumn Festival and Apple Pressing Day (near Totnes)

Held in the gardens of  Sharpham House, near Totnes to celebrate the harvest season.  Apple pressing on the Orchard Link press, autumnal games and crafts, campfire cooking, locally grown seasonal produce and an atmosphere that will inspire you to take part in our Big Draw art event. You can travel on foot or by bicycle along the old carriage track from Totnes or take a water taxi (07814954869) or motorised rickshaw (07943 854157) from Steamer Quay. Telephone to book rides. Field car parking available. 

Sunday 17^th October: Cockington Court Apple Day (near Torquay)

See www.countryside-trust.org.uk for more details

Saturday 23^rd October: Holbeton Orchard Apple Day

Come and harvest and press apples from the trees in Holbeton’s beautiful community orchard, and taste the juice.  You can also learn how to prune and see rural skills in action, whilst the children enjoy apple activities and games. Bring a picnic for a great family day out. From 10am in the orchard, just above the village hall (park in hall car park,).  Admission FREE.

Tuesday 26th October: Preserving Nature’s Harvest

Fiona Campbell (wild food gatherer).  Rosehip syrup, hedgerow fruit jelly, blackthorn elixir and dried fungi could be on your larder shelves this winter after this special wild food walk and workshop.  On a stroll by the river and through the beautiful Hazelwood Estate, gather leaves and fruits, then learn ways to preserve them.  Sample rosehip syrup and make some versatile fruit stock to take home.  There will be a cup of tea and coffee after the walk.  Meet outside Hazelwood House, off the B3196 Avonwick to Loddiswell road (map ref: SX 728521) at 2pm, return around 5pm. Bring a basket and a jar with a lid.  Adults £5, children £3. (walk approx 1 mile).

Saturday 30^th October: The Kitchen Garden in Autumn

Stevie Rogers (horticulturalist).  Spend time in a pretty and productive ‘potager garden’ and help ‘put the garden to bed’ for the winter.  Learn what plants to trim back and which to leave alone, plus ways of reusing or making compost from the trimmings.  There’s the chance to try your hand at winter pruning and taking hardwood cuttings to propagate plants for next year, also tips on how to save your own seed.  At Ash Tree Farm, near Dartmouth. 10am-4pm, adults £10, check for child rate, to include a bowl of home grown veg soup! For directions and booking call 01803 712437.

Saturday 20^th November: Working session at Brimblecombe’s Cider at Dunsford.  12 noon start.  A return visit to this popular venue, where you can step back in time.  Help to make cider the old-fashioned way in this ancient cider barn.  Followed by a question and answer session with Ron Barter, the owner and cidermaker.

Sunday 9^th January, 2011: Planning and Planting a New Orchard

With orchard expert Adam Montague. 11am to 4pm. Further details and venue to be confirmed.  More details in next newsletter.

Saturday 22^nd January, 2011: Learn to Prune Mature Apple Trees

Course instructor Charles Staniland.  Learn how to prune apple trees–old and young at this hands-on day course.  10.am – 3pm. £15 (or £10 to Orchard Link members).  Call 01364 653169 for further details and to book. Venue details to be given on booking.  Wear stout boots, bring lunch and waterproofs and secateurs or loppers if you have them.  A selection of tools will be available.

Saturday 5^th February, 2011: Formative Pruning of Young Apple Trees

With orchard expert Adam Montague.  11am to 4pm.  Futher details and venue to be confirmed.  Details in next newsletter.

Forthcoming Event: Devon Wildlife Trust orchard

The Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) are preparing to plant a large orchard of traditional Devon varieties at Woodah Farm in the Teign Valley.  The Trust is keen for the orchard to contain all the rare Devon varieties of apple, pear and plum.  Some of these varieties are not being actively sold by any nurseries at the present time, so are still in danger of becoming extinct.  In time, it is hoped that the orchard will become a demonstration orchard, where landowners can learn good orchard practice whilst managing  their orchards in a wildlife-friendly manner.  Current plans are to commence planting this winter and it is hoped that Orchard Link will be able to combine with the DWT to organise a Woodah planting day

Other Orchard Link Events 

Amazingly, the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness will be with us soon.  As usual, Orchard Link’s large wooden press will be doing the rounds of various shows and apple days.  This year sees changes to past years in that Orchard Link will not be organising pressing using its own volunteers and relying on our members bringing apples in for pressing.  We just do not have the volunteers necessary to organise people, apples and all the other paraphernalia necessary before each event and then enough people on the day to carry out the pressing.  A shame because by selling our share of the juice we were able to raise money for Orchard Link.  Hence our income will drop as sales have amounted to several hundred pounds in the past.  Hopefully, next year more help will be available and Orchard Link pressing days can be resumed.

Instead this year we are hiring the press to organisations that are running apple days for themselves.  We will aim to man a stall at these events giving advice and information about Orchard Link and our goals.  Where we can we will help to run the press, with as many volunteers as we can muster.  So, do please come forward to help.  Orchard Link can only do as much as you make possible.  We would like to have stalls at the following events (see above for event details):

Saturday 2^nd October:  Orchard Apple Day at National Trust, Parke.

Saturday 9^th October:   Cornworthy Apple Festival.

Sunday 10^th October:   Autumn Festival at Avon Mill Garden Centre.

Sunday 17^th October:   Sharpham Autumn Festival.

Sunday 17^th October:   Apple Day at Cockington.

Saturday 23^rd October: Apple Day at Holbeton.

Do let us know if you can help. It is great fun – meeting new faces, promoting Orchard Link and splashing around making apple juice.  Please call us on 07792-664710 to let us know when you will be able to help.

Selected events by other Devon orchard groups.  Please check their websites for up-to-date event information, costs, locations, required tools, clothing, etc and for full listings.  Also, check publications such as The Landsman which carry extensive listing of events in the area.

Tavy and Tamar Apple Group  (www.tavyapples.org.uk)

 

Saturday 2nd October: Apple Juicing, Tavistock  Guildhall Square. 10am-

2pm.  The Tavy & Tamar Apple Group will juice apples brought along by members of the public.  See their website for details.

 

Saturday 9th October: Bere Apple Fest, Bere Ferrers Church hall.

1:30pm-5pm.  This popular event for growers and purchasers of apple products will be held this year at.  Admission Free.

Other Events

Sunday 10^th October: Rosemoor Apple Day.  In conjunction with Orchards Live, Thornhayes Nursery and the RHS South West Area Fruit Group.  See at www.rhs.org.uk/rosemoor.   Normal entry prices.

Saturday 15^th January, 2010:  Orchards Group SW regional conference.

And finally, remember: October 21^st is Apple Day.

ORCHARD LINK COMMITTEE MEETINGS

All Orchard Link Members welcome to all meetings. 

All meetings held at The Church House Inn, Harberton starting 7:30pm.

6^th October . . . . . .  Annual General Meeting

(Please note that this is a  revised date)

27^th October . . . . . .   Committee meeting

8^th December . . . . .     Committee meeting

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