Scotland's charity for traditional orchards
We’re supporting the Scottish Scything Festival at Blackhaugh Community Farm near Auchterarder, Perthshire. This is the inaugural Scottish event (as far as we are aware).
Why? Scythes are a great way to manage the orchard floor. They are much less damaging to invertebrate life than a rotary mower. And faster (and quieter) than a strimmer. Plus they keep you fit and healthy!
https://blackhaughcommunityfarm.weebly.com/scythe-festival.html
Orchard Revival was at Monimail Tower Project in Fife helping with the Monimail Apple Day on 20th Oct. Thanks also to Will from Tayport Community Trust’s PLANT project for running the press this year.
In go the apples
Young juicers love the day
Plenty to store in our freezers
Clips from Good Morning Scotland on 7th October 2018
Crispin (Inventory Coordinator) on some of the historical background to orchards in Scotland, how the Orchard Inventory was carried out, and hopes of an orchard revival.
Sue Pomeroy (Local Facilitator for the Inventory in the West Highlands) on remote orchards surveyed and crofting interest in fruit trees
Kate Holl (SNH Project Officer for Inventory) on biodiversity and benefits of orchards
Ron Gillies ( Cairn o’Mhor Winery) on making King Jimmy cider
Kate on different fruit and nuts grown in orchards
Ron with a guileful plug for his cider – how far apart to plant your trees
All clips copyright BBC 2018
People have been contacting us from people across Scotland to the feature on the Beeb website
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-40012732
Some wanted to ensure their orchard has been included, and others to volunteer for survey work. A few have been seeking advice about varieties and planning new orchards. We’re working through those now so we get back to everyone.
Biodiversity is one of the factors assessed in the National Orchard Inventory for Scotland
We worked with a BBC journalist to develop the piece, and to try and include as much of interest as possible from what the Inventory found . Of course the full story is contained in the Area Reports which are available to download. However the piece gives a good overview and its gets to a very wide audience. That has to be good for raising awareness about orchards in Scotland.
Crispin took artist Jyll Bradley on an orchard tour of Fife and the Carse of Gowrie orchards recently. We took in various walled gardens, mature domestic orchards as well as the field scale former commercial orchards of the Carse. Jyll is researching for an installation at the Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh in 2019. We included a couple of other sites by the River Tay that are linked its role for transport and the monastic influence so vital to the development of orchards.
in the 1780 peach house
Pictured are Jyll with Head Gardener Graham at the 1780 peach house of a private walled garden. Peaches and nectarines are still being grown today !
old variety Hessle pears to yummy snack
Picking time is crucial: Picking the old varieties of pear at the right time is a trick. Don’t wait for them to be ‘ripe’ as you would a more modern variety of table pear. If you wait, the centre will typically be rotten. Pick before that stage when they have become sweet but are still crunchy.
Just slice them up (about 5mm thick slices). The picture shows a dehydrator rack (which is essentially a low temp fan oven) but you can do this in your own electric fan oven at its lowest temp, or on a cake rack over a fire or radiator. It takes about 12 hours in a dehydrator/oven, longer with other methods.
Once dry, put in an airtight jar and they will last for months – but only if you hide the jar or lock it. Otherwise they only last a few weeks because they are so bloomin’ tasty !
We are currently seeking individuals who would like to take up the roles of Local Facilitators (in their area). This is a part-time role running from July through to November.
The role in involves working with a local collaborating organisation – which could be a development trust, orchard group, or similar not-for-profit body – and organising volunteers to undertake the orchard survey work across your local area. The graphic here shows the projects structure and where Local Facilitators fit in.
We provide all the material resources and methods – it all set up. The Local Facilitator facilitates the action on the ground in their area.
If you are interested in the role, fill in the Volunteering Form but state in the last comment box that you want to be a Local Facilitator and tell us any additional details you think would be useful. We’ll get back to you. Thanks
We’ve also got a great job opportunity for an enthusiastic person to help encourage and support local groups that are collaborating in the orchard inventory project. Its part-time, one day a week and runs for six months starting June.
Social media and some wordpress skills are needed too.
See Jobs page
Closing date 31st May 2016.
We have a great opportunity for a person with Geographical Information Systems skills, who would like to contribute to our great National Orchard Inventory project. Its a short term contract, 11 days of work on a specific task. You don’t have to be a top line expert, just relatively competent with MapInfo – we provide the system.
See Jobs page
Closing date 31st May 2016.
We're supporting the Scottish Scything Festival at Blackhaugh Community Farm near Auchterarder, … [Read More...]
Orchard Revival was at Monimail Tower Project in Fife helping with the Monimail Apple Day on 20th … [Read More...]