Once again Orchard members, Allotment holders and family and friends gathered at the orchard an a dry but chilly Saturday in January to ‘wake up the trees’.
Wassailing is an ancient tradition revived during the nineteenth centuary. The trees are beaten with sticks and, along with shouting, noise making and singing, this is supposed to wake up the trees after their winter sleep. Bread dipped in cider is left in the branches and cider is poured on the roots to encourage the trees to produce a good crop of apples in the coming year.
We were lucky to have a wonderful group of musicians to help with the singing and The Green Man to lead the celebrations. A very good shared lunch was enjoyed afterwards.
Lanchester Community Orchard 