Bridport Community Orchard

Community Allotment 28.3.19
It has been a lovely sunny and warm afternoon and ten allotmenteers turned up, including one new volunteer. We planted the onion sets and the seed potatoes, cleared one bed of brassicas from last year and made a start on tidying the herb bed and the strawberry patch. A good amount of rhubarb and purple sprouting broccoli was harvested for people to take home.

Community Allotment 21st March 2019
Today was the first of this year's weekly sessions and we had a good turnout of 9 volunteers despite the chilly, grey afternoon. We cleared several beds of weeds and loads of poppy plants that had self seeded and also had a good go at preparing the polytunnel beds ready for the tomatoes etc later in the season. The new planting plan was put up in the shed and the raised beds had new name labels attached.... Next week will see the planting of the potatoes and onion sets - weather permitting!
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Another very productive work party yesterday, with plenty of jobs completed. Although it was dry with some sunshine, it was very windy! Achievements included:
The meadow area was mown with the petrol mower; the blade was set to the highest cut The non-slip surface was attached to the decking next to the pond. It is looking very smart! Further fruit trees were pruned. there are now just two to go, one of which is the quince... Several barrow loads of hops were collected from Palmers, and stored in the left hand compost bay A start was made on the weeding of the pollinator bed Some weeding amongst the espaliers The cutting back of the hedge between the allotments and orchard was completed. The pruning were piled up at the bottom of the orchard ready for burning A good solid base was laid behind the allotment, ready for the water butts to be installed Further tool racks were installed in the new (blue) shed. This is now finished, and all tools scythes and mowers are stored neatly making best use of the space Some weeding of the bog garden
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Community Allotment 7th March 2019
Today was the last of the monthly winter sessions before we start the 2019 season weekly. 9 people came, including 3 new volunteers, who did some sterling work which included sowing broad beans and leeks, washing down the polytunnel, pruning back the buddleia and feeding the fruit bushes with compost. Colin also put up some hooks in the shed to hold the new tools. We managed to keep dry during the frequent showers by nipping in the polytunnel but at least it was fairly warm.

Orchard work party - Sunday,10 February 2019. Overnight rain cleared through just in the nick of time to give us a fine morning with a little sunshine and the occasional fleeting shower. An enthusiastic band of 16 volunteers enjoyed carrying out the following tasks: - Continued work on the winter fruit tree pruning, though still more to do - Some storage racks were skilfully created and installed in the new shed, and are now holding the new tools. Various items in the... shed were also rearranged to make more efficient use of the space. A good job well done - The fence barriers at each end of the bee enclosure that are protecting the recently laid hedges were adjusted and made more secure, with some extra tree branches woven in - A good start was made on trimming back the hedge between the allotments and the orchard, with about half completed - Good progress with the water butt rearrangement. The one behind the new shed was moved to the wildlife shed, and one from behind the allotment shed was moved to the new shed. Both are connected up and functional. More work needs to be done to get the allotment shed butt installed and connected up - A little tidying up of the pond - The bog garden was weeded, and the brambles behind it trimmed back - Much wooden debris was burnt on a very welcomed bonfire
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Community Allotment 7.2.19 I think the chilly weather must have put people off today as only 2 turned up! The two of us managed to dig a trench fill it with compost from one of the bins and cover it back over ready for later in the year when it will be the climbing bean bed. Next month we shall sort out the polytunnel beds and give it a good wash down inside and out.

Pruning Session at Jubilee Green, Sunday 27 January 2019. All 7 of the apple trees at Jubilee Green, plus the medlar needed winter pruning. We had 5 of the more experienced tree team members present, plus 2 comparative novices. We enjoyed a sunny morning and fortunately were sheltered from the strong northwesterly wind by Allington Hill, which rises behind the site.
Our aim this year in addition to overall winter pruning was to reduce the height of the Rosemary Russet, ...Warrior and Golden Ball. We are unable to bring our orchard ladder to this site, so need to keep the trees to a height that’s manageable with short steps and the long-arm pruner. This means removing branches that are soaring skywards, instead favouring those that form a lower, wider canopy. The trees on the site are of varying sizes, Melcombe Russet, Allington Pippin and Pomeroy of Somerset being quite small still, so we were able to finish the pruning of all 8 in about 2 and a half hours.
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WASSAIL day - Sunday, 13th January 2019. The year begins with our traditional WASSAIL celebration and we welcomed over 200 revellers to join us in chasing away the evil spirits from the orchard and welcoming in the good ones to ensure a fruitful year and bountiful harvest. We enjoyed some warm sunshine and the orchard and wildlife area looking at their winter best thanks to efforts of the orchard volunteers in the morning. Wyld Morris started proceedings, drawing the crowd i...nto the performance area with their traditional Morris tunes. The Town Crier in full regalia announced the start of the Wassail and then Master of Ceremonies, outstanding performer, storyteller and fantastic friend of the orchard, Martin Maudsley. When Martin calls “Wassail!” the crowd responds “Drink Hail” several times in a variety of voices! He crowned and robed the King and Queen, who then chose a special tree to be blessed with cider poured on its roots and cider-soaked bread placed in the branches. Then the crowd was invited to create a loud hullabaloo – a great noise made by whistles and drums, rattles, shakers and voices to frighten away the evil spirits and attract the good ones ensure a successful year of growing and a magnificent harvest. It seems to have worked so far! Here’s to another successful year – WASSAIL!
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Orchard working session - Sunday, 13 January 2019 A near record turnout of 23 volunteers enjoyed a balmy winters morning, to carry out a good range of tasks, which included: - An excellent start to the winter tree pruning. Eight trees completed so far - The cordons were weeded and the grass on the bee enclosure side of the line of trees was trimmed back - One damaged post that had been supporting the cordons was replaced, and the wires reattached... - The gate into the bee enclosure was made good with the catch realigned. It now works! - The barrier to complement the laid hedge in the bee enclosure was finished; some posts were knocked in and thin branches woven across the top - Some tidying of the pond with some debris removed - A start was made on the weeding of the bog garden - The water butts beside the allotment shed were emptied and removed. A plan for their reinstatement has been agreed - Some preparation ahead of Wassail, with jobs such as erecting the gazebo, and preparation of firewood And a 'ladybird' to identify. Is it a Pine Ladybird?
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It's Wassail weekend in the orchard on this Sunday afternoon. See the poster below but note that Wyld Morris commence things at around 2.30 with Martin Maudsley's performance of the Wassail at 3.00. Don't be late. Here is a picture of last year's Wassail.

The BCOG Wassail The annual ancient Wassail celebration will be taking place in the Community Orchard on Sunday 13th January. The fun starts at 3 p.m., with the traditional Wassailing ceremony being led by local storyteller, Martin Maudsley. There will also be musical entertainment provided by Wyld Morris, and everybody can join in singing songs and dancing around the trees, all of which will encourage a bumper apple harvest! Cider and apple juice will be available, and there will be an open fire to keep the cold at bay. Please bring trumpets, whistles, drums, and anything that will make a noise to frighten away the bad sprits! The event is free and open to everybody.
http://www.bridportcommunityorchard.org.u k/page-5/

Orchard Work Session - Sunday, 9th December 2018 We had another successful work party in the orchard yesterday, with a good variety of tasks. Fifteen people turned out to benefit from a mild but windy morning, with a few sunny intervals and a couple of brief rain showers. Jobs included: - The further identification of tree branches that will be pruned in January and February - A lot of compost turning - Finished laying the hedge at the south end of the bee enclosure, and f...inished off with a barrier of wooden stakes and some woven hazel. A start was made on knocking in posts along the other length of hedge - Some small tears were visible at the top of the pond liner, and these were repaired. However, the suspected leak elsewhere in the liner is clearly non-existent, as the pond is now quite full! - Some wildflower plugs were planted out in the meadow area and wildlife area - The locks on the new shed were repaired and adjusted - A post for the bee enclosure gate was replaced - Some weeding of the pollinator bed
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Come and see us next Weds 5th Dec. at Bridport's Christmas Cheer (4-8pm). All the usual attractions will be there including Santa's Grotto, switching on of the Christmas Tree lights in Bucky Doo Square and many food, drink and craft stalls. We shall be outside Butterfly BoHo in South Street and will have cups of hot apple juice for sale (plain or mulled) and also bottles of our pasteurised apple juice which would make ideal Christmas pressies!

Orchard Working Session - Sunday,18th November 2018. We had a very productive work party in the community orchard this morning. It was a crisp, sunny morning, ideal for working! Completed tasks included: - A stake and tie was applied to the Lord Lambourne apple tree (the one near to the gate leading into the allotment area) - Circles were cleared around some of the smaller fruit trees, ahead of mulching later in the season - Some fruit tree branches were marked up for cutt...ing back during the winter pruning season - Fallen leaves from the mulberry and quince were raked up and bagged up and taken away for disposal - Hedges at each end of the bee enclosure were laid. The hedge near to the new shed was finished, and the other one was about two thirds completed - Fallen leaves were removed from the pond - Brambles adjacent to the pond were cut back - A fire was lit, and existing prunings, today's prunings, and some other debris was successfully burned - A superb new shelving system was constructed in the new shed. The whole shed was emptied, and items replaced tidily, making full use of the new shelves! - The water butt behind the new shed had toppled over. This was re-established on a base that has been re-designed, i.e. paving slab first, then breeze blocks, then the water butt. The guttering was re-connected
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The weekly allotment sessions have now finished for 2018 and we shall only be meeting on the first Thursday of the month throughout the winter. The dates are as follows:- (all at the usual time 2-4pm)
1st November 6th December... 3rd January 7th February 7th March
The date for recommencing the weekly meetings will be published here in March 2019
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Community Allotment 18th October 2018 The final weekly meeting for 2018 was held on 18th October and we had a fine, sunny day to finish off the season. We harvested some tomatoes from the polytunnel, which are still ripening, along with beetroot, kale and chillies. From now on we shall meet on the first Thursday of the month starting 1st November when we shall discuss all the winter jobs that need tackling like replacing some of the edging boards, clearing out the polytunnel ...and sorting out the sheds - all good housekeeping work to set us up for late March 2019 when the weekly sessions will recommence.
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Here are a few more photos of Apple Day.

Apple Day arrived in fine weather albeit with a very gusty wind initially but that appears to have improved once the event started - and no rain at all. The sun came out briefly and I think that everybody enjoyed the whole event. Super photos attached from Tricia that give a good story of the day.

Wonderful, healing and natural! Thanks for all your hard work!

Wonderful, healing and natural! Thanks for all your hard work!

Wonderful, healing and natural! Thanks for all your hard work!