During one of our February work sessions, we took the chance to wander round the orchard. The hazelnut and cob trees are moving already and we have a lovely display of catkins.
Nut Trees waking up in the Orchard Nut Grove!
Wassailing January 2022
Our traditional Wassailing day took place again on a chilly but fairly dry day. The Green Man attended and we feed the trees with bread and cider and made lots of noise to wake the trees up from their winter sleep. Hopefully the bread and cider will encourage a bumper crop of apples this year. We were lucky to be accompanied by some wonderful musicians and singers who added to the fun. Many thanks to them!
Apple Harvest
This year alongside our apple harvest day we set up a stall in the village. Apples of all varieties were placed on the stand and everyone was invited to taste these heritage varieties rarely seen in shops.
Work in the Orchard 2021
Despite another year of Covid-19 restrictions, all the volunteers in the Community Orchard have been able to continue on the maintainance and development of the fruit beds and trees.
Art Work in the Orchard
Paintings by the Grandparents Climate Change Group have been exhibited alongside the painted Easter Eggs. The Orchard event continues throughout the week, ending on Sunday.
Celebrating Easter in the Orchard 3rd – 11th April 2021
The orchard has been decorated with hand painted Easter Eggs to celebrate Easter. Members, family and friends of all ages from 18 months to 97 helped to decorate the eggs. A walk around the orchard showed the amazing variety and creativity of everyone who joined in with the event.
As well as spotting the Easter Eggs, you could lookout for ‘rabbits’ and Peter Rabbit. Families who took part were able to claim a chocolately treat donated by Lanchester Wines. We hope you were able to come up and wander round. If not, you might like to see some of the decoreated eggs in the photos below.
Spring 2021 in the Orchard
The Orchard has woken up again and is still providing a space for exercise and fresh. Some of the trees are in early blossom and the catkins in the nut grove have appeared. Hopefully this late cold snap won’t cause the trees any problems!
A Haven for Wildlife
The orchard proveds a variety of habitats for our native wildlife, but it’s not just the community orchard that attracts the creepers, crawlers and fliers. In the centre of the orchard is the thriving Margery Flatts Allotment Association. It’s not all vegetable growing, a few members also grow flowers. One of the allotment members has had a wonderful display of flowers and was able to catch some of the wildlife they attraced this summer on camera.
Apple Time!
It is well worth a walk around the orchard at this time of year. Many of our trees are covered in apples and it is so easy to see how many different varieties of apples we are growning. The apples are all different colours, sizes, shapes and taste! Many are heritage apple trees and most of the apples would not be found on sale in a supermarket!
September in the Orchard
Hay making is once more upon us! Members meet on a lovely sunny September morning to wield the scyths. The forest garden also received some care and attention ready for the winter.
Lanchester Community Orchard 