Crooklands Orchard has been the focus of events this October

Apple Juicing

How lucky were we with the weather this afternoon? It’s been a golden, autumn Sunday, and nothing better than having a good natter as we worked in a team to wash, chop, scratt and press the apple juice from local apples. It can now all be frozen for winter culinary use.

So that’s a wrap for this year’s apple harvest – we start again in deepest winter with a wassail, followed by tree pruning to ensure a good crop in 2024.

Thanks go to Vivien Hornsby Smith, Barbara Winfield, Susan Wright, Marguerite Clatworthy and husband, Peter Kirkby and Martyn Hornsby Smith.

Art In The Park

A lovely time was had by all the budding artists who attended the Art in the Park event in early October. It was held in the Orchard as there are a variety of views from that location. You can see some of the pictures produced in the photographs below.

SUNDAY 29 OCTOBER 2 – 3.30PM

Looking at the weather tomorrow afternoon it should be dry at least. However, after all the rain and drizzle the Park is becoming a mud bath, and not safe for us to use one area intensively as the mud will become slippy. We cannot really mitigate this on a risk assessment, especially when we are dealing with a consumable product.

So, we are going to set up the apple juicer at the end of the drive of the house on Kelcliffe Lane, where, it meets Oxford Avenue and the Sycamores. You will see us there.

GATHER UP YOUR GARDEN APPLES AND COME ALONG TO OUR APPLE JUICING DAY JUST INSIDE THE FARM GATE OFF KELCLIFFE LANE

CHANGE OF VENUE TO PLEASE SEE POST FROM 28 OCTOBER ABOVE.

Every year FOPP hires the apple juicing kit from Urban Harvest for local people to make use of all those unwanted apple crops that would otherwise go to waste.

This year there has been a mixed crop; some trees have done well but a lot haven’t. However, if you have some apples you’d like to make juice from bring them along to our community apple juicing day. The juice can be kept in a fridge for 3-4 days or frozen for use during winter.

All apples will be mixed together to create a blend and the juice shared out – bring a plastic container if you’d like some. It would be helpful if you can wash the apples before your bring them. Please don’t bring any apples that have blight, insect holes or are beginning to rot.

There are still apples around the Park to gather up. So we’ll be sending out foragers to gather those.

If it has rained make sure you have sturdy footwear, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Clean hands are also vital.