APPLE HARVEST 2018

Over the weekend and again on Wednesday 26

September we spent time in the Community Orchard harvesting some of the apples and tasting them.  The sun shone on both occasions and the Orchard itself is looking very good now that the grass has started to grow again.

A lot of the apples are small this year (due to the drought and extreme heat) and sadly a higher percentage than usual have had disease (scab and brown rot) and many have had bird damage which means that many fruits will not store well.

However many are good. The Bramley Seedling have cropped well for the first time this year. The Newton Wonder , another culinary apple, also is cropping well....these will be picked later as they should be ripe mid October and hopefully will store

Of the eaters, Sunset and Herefordshire Russet proved to be very popular as did Fiesta and Ellison's Orange. Other apples were brought too for tasting....in particular Jupiter (parents Cox's Orange Pippin and Starking) and Bel de Boscoop (Dutch D/P) were delicious.

We will continue to pick as the fruits ripen....some apples will go to St Peter's Church for the Harvest Festival, and a group of children from Limpsfield Primary School will come to pick and taste too. Some apples store well, some are frozen or used in cakes and puddings of course but this year we are trying dried apple and pear.....a dessicator makes this a very easy process and they should last well into the New Year

...some of the Committee

visitors from Hurst Green Garden Club and LODHS

Herefordshire Russet

WORKING PARTY: WEDNESDAY 3RD OCTOBER

We badly need a good go at some of the hedges in the Orchard....and weeding round the tree sites to get everything straight for the winter. There is quite a lot to do....weeding on the area which is under the picnic table too!

After such a dry year grass growth has started up again .....but there are many bare patches. Perhaps we'll get some wild flowers fillings the gaps.....

Anyway.....usual plan.....EARLY start at 9.30am on Wednesday 3 October .....work till 11am then coffee/apple cake (if you are lucky!) and if there's more to do we will continue after that. Please bring your own tools.....

 

EXTRA JOBS.....please have a look at this list and see if you can help.....

• Rebuilding compost heap which is sadly collapsing....we might need some more pallets....the ones in use are rotting badly. The compost can be put all round the hedges
• Rebuilding wood pile which is designed to be a home for stag beetle larvae which take up to 5 years to develop and hatch
• Moving logs along the path into the area which is a fairy ring (logs) for children......there are some already to be moved! AND we now have a wheel barrow.
• Checking the tree guard supports.....some need replacing for sure

After the work party we'll need a bonfire too.....on another date probably

Looking forward to seeing LOTS of you there!

Helen and the Orchard TEAM

SUNDAY 23 SEPTEMBER: TASTING AND EARLY HARVEST

Come and join us for 

TASTING AND EARLY HARVEST...... 

SUNDAY 23 SEPTEMBER FROM 2-30 pm 

There will be coffee/tea and apple cake so do come along. 

A chance to see how we are doing and taste several different varieties of apples

This year has been very unusual for its growing conditions.....very cold spell followed by good blossom and set.....then the 8 week+ dry and extremely hot period which made me think every tree was fighting to stay alive.....

HOWEVER.....all is settling down...

Katy is ready now (end August) .....do go up and sample them

Damson.....ready to pick (this is the tree behind the Bug House at the back of the Orchard)

Mirabelle all picked .....enough for 4 lbs of jam....some of which will be available at our Tasting afternoon.

Other trees.....Pears....only Buerre Hardy this year ...but there should be plenty in due course

Apples....

Sunset....pretty small this year

Herefordshire Russet....plenty but again small

Bramley, Arthur Turner  and Bountiful....all cookers....some good size fruit. Newton Wonder (also a cooker) cropping for the first time....small fruits but with great flavour....they store well and can be eaten as dessert fruit into the New Year. We'll be picking these much later.....

Fiesta, Meridian, Lord Lambourne, Ellison's Orange.....moderate crops but enough for tasting.....

PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION

THE GLORIES OF THE LIMPSFIELD COMMUNITY ORCHARD 

September 2018 / September 2019

RULES

1.            Entry is FREE and prizes will be presented.

2.            The picture must have been taken between the dates above.

3.            The winning picture will be the one which best illustrates the title of the    competition as above.

4.            The competition is for prints only.

5.            The maximum size of the print is A4 (29.7cm x 20.1cm).

6.            Each entrant may enter up to three pictures. Each one will be judged individually.

7.            There will be three age categories: a) 10 years and younger, b) 11 years to 17 years, c) 18 and over.

8.            Prints will be accepted up to October 1^st 2019.

9.            Please put your name, address and telephone number on the back of the picture and the category a) b) or c).

10.        By entering the competition you kindly give your permission for your photographs to be used for publicity purposes for the Orchard.

11.        The judge’s decision is final.