At last the time is coming when we’ll be able to taste the fruits of our labours. We have excellent apples and pears ripening up….so do come along for some tastings and of course to take some apples (and maybe pears) home too. All totally unsprayed, organic and delicious…..and no food miles at all.

We have been picking Katy apples which are really early and delicious….they don’t keep so do go along and help yourself. The Beth pears too are ready for sampling too as they need to be picked slightly before they are ripe and allowed to ripen at home.

Harvest and Tasting    
Sunday afternoon, 24th September 2 to 4pm Saturday morning, 30th September 10 to 12 midday

There will be teas and coffee too (apple juice for the children) and of course our famous apple cake.

 
 

GETTING READY FOR THE HARVEST

These pictures show nicely ripening fruit.....will be ready for the harvest at the end of September.

Also shown are our nicely trimmed hedges with many thanks to John Leslie and Rodney Coulson.

WORKING PARTY 23 AUGUST

I hope you are keeping an eye on the developing harvest by visiting the Orchard. Some trees are looking wonderful with reddening fruits all over.

We need to do some work before the end of August. The hedges need cutting (both the laurel and the mixed native boundary hedges) and we need to tackle some of the encroaching bramble too. Some tree sites need weeding so there are plenty of varied jobs.

So we are planning a work party on Wed 23 August from 09-30 to 12midday.

There will be coffee etc as usual ……

Do bring relevant tools please…..secateurs, hand forks, bags for “arisings”, kneelers, hedge cutters (although I actually think secateurs do a better job while the plants are still quite young) and gloves. A rake or two might be useful and even a wheelbarrow.

Hoping at least a few of you will be free?

Growing!

These photos show the very good growth of Dessert Apple Katy and Pear Buerre Hardy. Fruits are swelling well and appreciating the recent rain. We should be able to start picking Katy in the middle of September. We are planning some days for tasting and harvest....and will post the dates here on the blog.

Preparation for In Bloom Judging 2 July 2017

We had an excellent gathering at the Orchard to prepare the Orchard for judging......we've weeded all around each tree and replaced all the old rather faded signs with new ones.The picture shows us having coffee in the sunshine.
The site is looking very pretty with all the white clover amidst the grass and the apples are beginning to fatten up. Plenty of pears too. Do take a look.

COME AND HELP OR COME AND SEE US.........

These photos show our apple and pear trees  with a lovely crop of bee friendly white clover in the grass. The apples are beginning to swell and now we have had the June drop we are going to start thinning them. We'll be in the Orchard from 5 pm on Thursday 22 June if anyone would like to come and see what we are doing.We'll be having a work party from 10 to 12 on Sunday 2 July too. This is to weed and tidy the Orchard prior to the Judging for Limpsfield in Bloom on Thursday 6 July. Do come along .....all are welcome.

MOVEABLE BARRIER

These pictures show the new moveable barrier that we have just installed in the Orchard (June 2017) at the entrance from the A25. It is intended to be used as a temporary measure when groups of children are using the Orchard and should always be lifted back to the sides after use. Hopefully it will give some peace of mind to parents and grandparents as it a pretty good
barrier when in place.

The pictures below show Peter Jarvis (left) and Graham Woodward doing the hard work. It was quite some task digging the holes for the supports as the area
must have been part of the original driveway, and had tarmac and many large stones to work through. We are most grateful to them both for this excellent
addition to the site.