First substantial harvest of 2014
Looking back over photos from previous years to see when we took pictures of fruit we'd harvested we can see that fruit seems to be ripe at least a couple of weeks earlier than previously.
This week we had lots to take away, shared between the 4 volunteers on the session. We picked figs, apples (a couple of trees
seem to have ripe fruit), pears, blackberries and the last of the mid season raspberries (Polka).
Here is the evidence!
This week we had lots to take away, shared between the 4 volunteers on the session. We picked figs, apples (a couple of trees
seem to have ripe fruit), pears, blackberries and the last of the mid season raspberries (Polka).
Here is the evidence!
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| Harvested fruit 18th August 2014 |
Thanks Abi
At Orchard 49 we really appreciate volunteers, the Orchard can't do without them. This year Abi Paine came along, she found out about us via Google and volunteered very regularly on our Monday evening sessions. Sadly though, at the outset she said she'd be leaving for Australia so wouldn't be around for long.
That may be so, and we said Bye to Abi last week, but while she volunteered she was a star. On our last session it was raining really hard, so we made bee boxes under cover and here she is with her bee box.
And with bee box builder, extraordinaire, Pete Abel...
These boxes will be painted and sold to raise money for the Orchard.
Abi also set up an instagram account for the orchard. If you'd like to follow us on Instagram look for Orchard_49
That may be so, and we said Bye to Abi last week, but while she volunteered she was a star. On our last session it was raining really hard, so we made bee boxes under cover and here she is with her bee box.
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| Abi with her bee box |
And with bee box builder, extraordinaire, Pete Abel...
Abi also set up an instagram account for the orchard. If you'd like to follow us on Instagram look for Orchard_49
Work session 4th August 2014
Another productive session. As we'd had some heavy rain over the weekend we were able to dig up some plants that had become way to big along the fence line with a neighbouring allotment plot.
We've been needing to do this for some time, but because the soil type on the Orchard is clay its hard to do anything like that during a prolonged dry spell... you lterally can't get a fork into the ground.
We also finally transplanted a couple of gooseberry bushes into the long raised bed - another long over due task.
We've been enjoying raspberries and blackberries while we work and are noticing that some of the apple varieties are ripening very much earlier than in previous years. This makes planning when to hold an apple day really hard. We usually ask plotholders on the site to donate fallers from their trees (of which there are many) and have apples from the orchard to taste (among other things). But if apples are ripening very early then there won't be much to juice or taste... In the past Apple Day has been in late September/early October. So, we are pondering what to do on that!
Thanks to Abi, Debbie, Pete and Julie for all their hard work.
We've been needing to do this for some time, but because the soil type on the Orchard is clay its hard to do anything like that during a prolonged dry spell... you lterally can't get a fork into the ground.
We also finally transplanted a couple of gooseberry bushes into the long raised bed - another long over due task.
We've been enjoying raspberries and blackberries while we work and are noticing that some of the apple varieties are ripening very much earlier than in previous years. This makes planning when to hold an apple day really hard. We usually ask plotholders on the site to donate fallers from their trees (of which there are many) and have apples from the orchard to taste (among other things). But if apples are ripening very early then there won't be much to juice or taste... In the past Apple Day has been in late September/early October. So, we are pondering what to do on that!
Thanks to Abi, Debbie, Pete and Julie for all their hard work.
Work session 21 July 2014
We were 6 yesterday for the work session. It was a glorious warm sunny evening to be outside. We had a fair bit of weeding to do due to the OTAGS strimmer being out of action. Damien and Nicklaus (visiting WOOFer from Austria) got stuck on at the back of the orchard pulling bind weed out and tackling the weed growth.
Abi noticed that the raspberry plants which were only planted in March had some fruit on them, so we picked those and shared them at the end of the session. Debbie also picked some blueberries, these plants are still in pots until we build a raised bed for them where we can use ericaceous compost. These were also very tasty!
Lots of work done and a group photo taken at the end of the session. Thanks again to all: Abi, Damien, Debbie, Gemma, Lorna and Nicklaus.
Postscript
Last week's session included making a pond - which was great. Trouble was the plant transplanted from a nearby allotment turned out to be poisonous and mistakenly Debbie injested some and was quite poorly as a result... Lesson is, wear gloves when handling plants like Bog Arum. It is high in oxalic acid and even small amounts entering your bloodstream (don't know how it got in my system) will make you very sick. 4 hours in A&E to get checked out isn't a nice way to spend a Friday afternoon! Here is a picture of the pond and the plant!
Yes its small - the Orchard is all about what can be done in small spaces, so its a small pond. Lets see how long it takes for frogs to find it. We also sowed some phacelia and red clover in the area that had been dug.
Abi noticed that the raspberry plants which were only planted in March had some fruit on them, so we picked those and shared them at the end of the session. Debbie also picked some blueberries, these plants are still in pots until we build a raised bed for them where we can use ericaceous compost. These were also very tasty!
Lots of work done and a group photo taken at the end of the session. Thanks again to all: Abi, Damien, Debbie, Gemma, Lorna and Nicklaus.
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| Left to right: Abi, Gemma, Debbie, Damien, Lorna, Nicklaus |
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| Lovely raspberries - some of them! |
Postscript
Last week's session included making a pond - which was great. Trouble was the plant transplanted from a nearby allotment turned out to be poisonous and mistakenly Debbie injested some and was quite poorly as a result... Lesson is, wear gloves when handling plants like Bog Arum. It is high in oxalic acid and even small amounts entering your bloodstream (don't know how it got in my system) will make you very sick. 4 hours in A&E to get checked out isn't a nice way to spend a Friday afternoon! Here is a picture of the pond and the plant!
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| Pond and Bog Arum |
Work session on 7th July
We were three this evening and got busy with:
Thanks to Lorna, Pete and Debbie for their time.
- uncovering a mound of manure which had rather a large number of weeds growing in it
- more pruning of trees to encourage fruit buds to form (many more trees to do)
- pruning one of the grape vines (variety Brant for those interested in such things)
- finishing fitting tree protection to the trees on the fruit arch, so the trunks don't get strimmed
- weeding around the base of one of the large trees we inherited
- picking up quince tree leaves - to try and stop blight from re-occuring (Quince Portugal)
- taking some photos of some of the trees. Mainly (Quince excepted) they are looking great and growing really well.
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| Apple: Plot 52 |
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| Apple: Ladies Finger of Lancaster |
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| Not all top fruit - Blackberry Chester |
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| Apple: Withington Welter |
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| Apple: Yorkshire Cockpit |
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| Quince Portugal with blighted leaves |
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| Quince Portugal without blighted leaves |
Busy Busy work session
We had another busy work session on Monday 30th June. Two new volunteers got stuck into barrowing manure and compost into the raised bed that Pete had made the week before. Great work by Gemma and Mark. Meanwhile, Debbie and Abi busied themselves pruning and training pear and trees growing around the fruit arch and the cherry trees that are against the bakery wall.
Lorna tackled protecting the trees that were planted to grow over the fruit arch with tree guard material so that they don't get damaged when the grass is strimmed. Oh and Abi also put up some bird feeders. Last but by no means least Claire popped in to say hello on route to the OTAGS committee meeting where she represents Orchard49.
No pics this time, but it was a lovely evening once more. Thanks to everyone!
Lorna tackled protecting the trees that were planted to grow over the fruit arch with tree guard material so that they don't get damaged when the grass is strimmed. Oh and Abi also put up some bird feeders. Last but by no means least Claire popped in to say hello on route to the OTAGS committee meeting where she represents Orchard49.
No pics this time, but it was a lovely evening once more. Thanks to everyone!
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