Community Orchard Survey – 10 minutes online
by | posted in: community, orchard, volunteers | 0
Masters student Rosa Smith from the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester is undertaking a study called

Assessing the environmental and social impacts of restoring traditional orchards in Gloucestershire.

The purpose is to gain a better understanding of the social impacts of orchard restoration throughout the county.

It will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Participation in this study is entirely voluntary and you can withdraw at any time. You are free to omit any question.

The survey is at https://rau.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/community-orchards-survey

Do pass on to anyone else who may be interested.
Also, if anyone would be able to do a short Zoom interview with Rosa, let us know as that would also be much appreciated.
As we know, community orchards are a huge benefit culturally, socially, historically and for wildlife as well as reducing food miles!

Local beekeeper looking for orchard trees for a bee hive:
by | posted in: bees, blossom, Opportunity, orchard, pollination | 0
Magdalena writes:
My name is Magdalena and I’m an aspiring beekeeper from Cheltenham looking for a tree to place my first hive box on. I thought about orchards because of the benefit the bees could provide by pollinating fruit trees in the spring, in turn collecting their nectar. I’d like to reach out to the orchard groups and owners to ask if anyone would be interested in having bees around their orchard and thought the best way would be to ask through your Orchard Trust.
The Warre hive box I have is fairly small about 30x30cm plus roof and floor and I have a L-shaped frame which can be attached to a tree with screws – this is the gentlest method of attaching an object to a living tree that I know of since the screws pull the wood fibres apart rather than damage them, I also chose stainless-steel screws for the attachment to avoid introducing rust to the tree. The hive box could be attached to a tree that is near the orchard rather than an orchard tree itself as I understand using the orchard trees directly might not be the most suitable option when collecting the fruit. This way the bees would not be too close to bother anyone in the orchard but close enough to pollinate the trees in the spring.
The Warre hive box itself requires only a couple of visits per year, the bees benefit from the shade and shelter a tree provides and this would be the closest to where they naturally build their combs – in a hollow of a tree. Unfortunately, there are not many old trees with hollows left for bees to make their home there and this method while very natural for the bees, still allows for honey to be collected with little disturbance to the bees.

Magdalena  07871850614    mprokupkova98@gmail.com

Identification of fruit varieties 2023
by | posted in: apples, cherries, cider apples, dna, pears, pomona, varieties | 0

The DNA analysis project run via FruitID is now in its 8th year.  This year the scheme offers DNA analysis at £32.50 plus VAT per sample for Apples, Pears, and Cherries.

If you would like to participate, please go to www.fruitID.com/#help where you can find the Announcement and Timetable, a Request Form to ask for sample bags, detailed collection guidance, results from previous years, and an Introduction to DNA Fingerprinting.

Also at the FruitID website Muriel Smith’s National Apple Register for the UK is now available as a digital download.

To find it, go to www.fruitID.com/#help then click on ‘Pomonas’ from the list on the left and look for the 1971 entry. Thanks to the People’s Trust for Endangered Species for funding the digitisation of this great resource.

Blossom time events late April and early May
by | posted in: apples, blossom, Days Cottage, Hartpury, Longney, orchard, Orchard Blossom Day, Past Events, pears, pollination | 0

Blossom Day at Days Cottage

Sunday April 23rd 1.00 – 4.00 – details coming soon at dayscottage.co.uk

Hartpury Orchard Centre Blossom Day

Sunday 23 April 2023 12 noon-5pm Blossom day, enjoy a picnic in the orchard. Bar will be open.  https://www.hartpuryheritage.org.uk/events/blossom-day-event/

Big Apple Blossom time

Sunday 30 April and Monday 1 May 2023 at Much Marcle. https://www.bigapple.org.uk/blossomtime-putley/

Other Blossom opportunities

GOT’s Longney Orchard by the River Severn is pretty when the plum, pear and apple blossom is out. See access information here:  https://glosorchards.org/home/got-orchards/

Local community orchard groups such as Horfield Organic Community Orchard (Bristol) and Wolds End Orchard (Chipping Campden) often hold a lovely blossom event. Check their websites soon!

The Vale of Evesham has a blossom trail. https://www.visitevesham.co.uk/about-vale/blossom-trail/

Orchard Network Blossom Day Resources

https://www.orchardnetwork.org.uk/orchard-blossom-day

Hartpury Dawn Chorus Sunday 7th May 2023
by | posted in: biodiversity, Dawn Chorus, Events, Hartpury, orchard, Past Events, wildlife | 0

Sunday 7 May 2023 05.00 Hartpury Orchard Centre.

An early start for those wanting to catch the dawn chorus. This is a joint event with the Orchard Centre and Gloucestershire Naturalist Society.

At 05.15 we set off, when the mists above Colliers Brook and Catsbury start to rise as the sun comes up. The slow ramble takes about 45 minutes, going through the perry pear orchards and alongside the lakes and reedbeds. It is a friendly informal morning.

Toast and hot drinks are served afterwards. We welcome quiet children – but sorry, no dogs. Meet at the Orchard Centre, Blackwell’s End, GL19 3DB, SO 784254, Hartpury, Gloucestershire. There is plenty of parking available. It is a free event, though donations are welcome to support the Orchard Centre and Trust work. Wellies or strong boots essential. Leader Mervyn Greening.

National Perry Pear Centre Events 2023
by | posted in: apple day, biodiversity, blossom, Dawn Chorus, Hartpury, Past Events, pears, perry pears, stone fruit | 0

https://www.hartpuryheritage.org.uk/events/ and https://www.nationalperrypearcentre.org.uk/events/

Sunday 23 April 2023 12 noon-5pm – Blossom day, enjoy a picnic in the orchard

Sunday 7 May 2023 5am Dawn chorus walk led by Mervyn Greening (for details click here)

Sunday 14 May 2023 Rogation service in orchard 6pm

Sunday 21 May 2023 Moth breakfast 9am opening moth traps and identification

Between 3 and 11 June 2023 (dates to be fixed) Moth event in Hartpury churchyard

Bat walk in churchyard (provisional)

Sunday 11 June 2023 Garden Open Prestberries Cottage (Jim’s large garden includes fruit trees)

August – Plum display date to be fixed (provisionally Sunday 27 August 2023)

Saturday 16 September 2023 Perry pear display

October Apple display (provisional)

Sunday 26 November 2023 Christmas market

The Big Help Out – Coronation Volunteer Day at Longney!  8th May 2023
by | posted in: Longney, orchard, Past Events, volunteers | 0

Our volunteering day at Longney, Monday 8th May 

As part of our informal get-together on 8th May, we’re teaming up with CPRE to help with their recently launched Hedgerow Hero project.  Hedges are the country’s largest nature reserve and  we’re going to assess the health of the hedges in and around our orchards at Longney and submit  our findings to their national database.  It’s all part of The Big Help Out

GOT Trustee David Lindgren (with GOT’s Tim Andrews of CPRE Gloucestershire) about the exciting The Big Help Out Day, a national event but here based at GOT’s Longney Orchard, just south of Gloucester. You and your families would be most welcome.

 

  • Arrive:  10:30 
  • Hedgerow Hero and Orchard Help Out 10:30 to 13:00 
  • Relaxation and Refreshment 13:00 onwards
For location and parking instructions click here.

First orchard is Long Tyning (long and thin) then Bollow. Also on site are Middle & Lower Orchards which have been planted up with heritage apple and plum trees of regional/national importance.

We look forward to seeing you! Any queries to David Lingren david@cotswoldfruit.co.uk

Please note there is no vehicular access, so please park at or near the white railings on the road, being mindful of neighbours.
The track is very muddy but the orchards are lovely and a wildlife haven. No dogs please; there are sheep and please keep gates closed.

There is a barn (with interpretation signage), chairs, composting loo and running cold water. Re health and safety, there is a first aid kit in the store in the barn. The ground is uneven, there are some brambles and low hanging branches. The river Severn is fenced off.

 

GOT AGM 13th May 2023
by | posted in: AGM, Events, Henley, meetings, Past Events | 0

Saturday morning 13 May 2023 at Brockworth Community Hall

Business, speakers and optional walk around GOT’s new Henley Bank Orchard. Brockworth Community Hall, Court Road, Brockworth GL3 4ET https://brockworth-pc.gov.uk/

Agenda:

10.30am-11.45am Business and AOB/Question Time then joint presentation by Megan Finn Project Officer for “Treescapes” and Meyrick Brentnall.

Meyrick is a GOT trustee who is the lead for Henley Bank orchard and also works for Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust (GWT).

There will then be a walk to/around GOT’s new Henley Bank Orchard.

No charge for the AGM.

Parking:

Spaces will be very limited at the community hall itself (and there will be a group using our main hall afterwards so please don’t leave cars there after the meeting). Traffic wardens operate at the local shops. Best to park in the street. For the orchard visit, after the meeting, you can park on Mill Lane or in the small parking area directly opposite the secondary school or unofficially at Brockworth Garden Centre (A46 almost opposite the orchard), but please note we do not have specific permission for the garden centre. It is one mile from the community hall to the orchard main gate. The entrance to the orchard is currently the field gate on the A46. From Mill Lane, there is a shortish walk left up the A46, pavement most of the way, but rough verge for some of the A46 part (unless we cross the road, but we will need to cross back again). Trustees will help guide people to the car park and orchard. There is room for just one car at the orchard gate – we can arrange lifts direct to there from Mill Lane if needed.

Please check the GOT website for any changes nearer the time

Please note: 

Please note that as GOT has only quite recently acquired the orchard, it is still quite overgrown and it is the nesting season until 1 September. The ground is uneven and damp in places. Wellies needed! But it is a lovely place and we would be delighted to see you and have a chat about our plans. Ann will not be there at the AGM, but the event will be run by our trustees. (Andy Ellis, our treasurer, will be acting membership secretary by then).

Grafting Workshops at Days Cottage 2023
by | posted in: Days Cottage, grafting, orchard, Past Events, rootstock, varieties | 0

Grafting Workshops at Days Cottage 2023

  • Thursday 30th March 10.00am – 1.00pm
  • Thursday 6th April 10.00am – 1.00pm

Learn the ancient skill of propagating fruit trees by inserting a scion of your chosen variety into a rootstock. Take your tree home at the end of the session.

Rootstocks and a range of heritage variety scions provided. Includes refreshments and homemade flapjacks in our cosy yurt. £45.00

To book please contact applejuice@dayscottage.co.uk or 01452 813602

New Longney plantings
by | posted in: apples, grafting, Longney, rootstock, varieties | 0

News sent in by Stuart Smith:

Newly planted in the apple collection at Longney are two Upright French, propagated for us by John Teiser from Bulmer’s Adam’s Hill Orchard. These are grafted onto crab stock, whereas most of the apples are M25.

Another difference which you can see in one of the photos is that the guards are scaled down from the original design – the posts are about 1.35m, the sides about 84cm.

The trees are planted in ground that has not had trees before so there is no risk of replant disease, but because space is limited it might be necessary to plant a replacement in the same position.

John told me that there are rootstocks that have been shown to overcome the inhibitory effect – such as the Geneva® (G) range.

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