Gloucestershire Orchard Group

Thursday 14 May 2009
- Official Opening by Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire Henry Elwes - INVITATION ONLY
Friday 15 May 2009: 10am - 4pm
- Peter Mitchell will be on hand to answer questions about the cider and perry courses that he holds there
Saturday 16 May 2009: 10am - 4pm Public Open day
- Self guided trail around orchard with views of wetland/guided walks at 11am and 2.30 pm
- Displays & perry tasting 2pm - 4pm children's games teas

With Jim Chapman; http://www.tasteandexplore.co.uk

Address
The Orchard Centre, Blackwell's End, Hartpury, Gloucester GL19 3DB (GPS usually takes you about half mile passed the Centre!)

Directions
From Gloucester take A40 west to Ross-on-Wye and South Wales. Cross a branch of river Severn and within a mile take A417 to Ledbury (at roundabout - if you cross the second branch of the Severn you have missed the turning). Drive through village of Maisemore and after 5 miles from roundabout you will reach Hartpury. Take turning to left shortly after 'Royal Exchange' Inn into Corsend Road (brown signed to Hartpury Church and Bee Shelter). After a mile take first turn to right signed to Blackwell's End. The Orchard Centre is the first building you come to on the right hand side (about half mile from turning).

Images by Jim Chapman, Juliet Bailey and Ann Smith.

Bookings taken for Juice, Cider & Perry courses at Hartpury, near Gloucester with Jim Chapman & Peter Mitchell at the new Perry Orchard Centre (Hartpury Historic Land & Buildings Trust) http://www.tasteandexplore.com

Perry Pear Day/Autumn Show at The Three Counties Showground, Malvern each September.

Organized by the Three Counties Cider & Perry Association, in association with the Slow Food movement. GOG member Jim Chapman displays a wide range of perry pears (upto 70 varieties) and their fascinating history. This is always an opportunity to take along your perry pear samples for comparison/possible identification. Producers (including Tom Oliver of Olivers Cider & Perry) sell perry and Peter Mitchell ‘explores’ perry. This is a unique annual event in the UK.

Sue Gibson will be holding this year's workshop on Growing and Training Fruit Trees in Small Spaces on Saturday, 1st August 2009 from 10.00am to 4.00 pm. It will be held in her garden in Slimbridge, Glos, starting with the theory of fruit growing, followed by a practical on training fruit trees as espaliers, stepovers and other shapes. Participants will practise pruning the espaliers and other trained trees in her garden. Early booking is advised, but if the course is over subscribed a second date will be offered. If students wish to bring their own maiden fruit trees in pots, they can learn how to start training them during the course.

Please call Sue Gibson on 01453 890820, e-mail: sue.gibson@tiscali.co.uk, http://www.iteachgardening.co.uk Sue Gibson School of Gardening

Sarah Juniper runs her own private courses and has co-edited “The Compleat Planter and Cyderist” with her father Dr. Barrie Juniper, who is an expert on the origin of the apple and who has spoken at one of our AGMs. Establish your own miniature orchard. Choose from 140 varieties. One day courses in January and February (including lunch & refreshments). Ring Sarah Juniper for more information and to book. The Apple Factor, 109 Woodmancote, Dursley, Gloucestershire GL11 4AH. 01453 545675. http://www.sarahjuniper.co.uk/applefactor

Ragmans Lane Farm http://www.ragmans.co.uk also run courses

Joan Ruddock, governmental minister for Biodiversity, and a team of media, visited GOG chairman Dave Kaspar and Helen Brent-Smith at their traditional orchards at Days Cottage Apple Juice, Brookthorpe, near Gloucester on Tuesday 28 August 2007! She announced that Ministers approve priority species and habitats list to focus future conservation action.

The news release is available from Defra

This is following Natural England’s detailed ecological surveys at half a dozen sites throughout the UK (including Gloucestershire), showing that traditional orchards are a unique habitat for many fauna and flora. Orchards now have National Priority Habitat status, which is excellent news. We are privileged that GOG was in the media for Joan Ruddock’s announcement! Helen was on the Today BBC Radio 4 programme and Days Cottage was on the lunchtime news on BBC and ITV.

We have a pruning workshop in February, a grafting workshop in March, a budding workshop in July and a free fruit identification workshop at Pershore College in October. Open to members only and booking required.

Summer and Autumn events

Budding workshop - members only/booking required
Orchard lichens or other habitats visit in August - members only
Plum Day in August - members only
GOG Social/Share your produce - members only

Pear Day in September at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern (Autumn Show) - large display of perry pears in conjunction with the Three Counties Cider & Perry Association and the Slow Food movement.

Fruit ID workshop members only/booking required

View details on how to join, including the many benefits of being a GOG member

Natural England (Chris Wedge) have just produced a series of highly informative Technical Information Notes (TINs) on orchard management, available free for anyone.

See: http://naturalengland.communisis.com/Na ... glandShop/ (Key in Orchards under “Search”)

People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES): If you own an orchard and would like a small ecological survey, particularly to look for the rare noble chafer beetle, please contact anita@ptes.org.

Apple tasting results from Juliet Bailey are available for download.

Download results

Click here to download two basic keys to identify commonly grown apples in the UK.

These have been provided by Simon Clark of the National Orchard Forum and Northern Fruit Group who welcomes feedback from users. Contact him on 0113 266 3235 (with answer phone) or simonclark49@tiscali.co.uk.

More information on apple identification »

Environmental Stewardship (ES) has replaced the Countryside Stewardship and Environmentally Sensitive Area Schemes.

More details on the Grants page.

Gloucestershire Orchard Group

Conserves, promotes and celebrates traditional orchards in Gloucestershire

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