All posts tagged: apple day

Killerton Cider and Apple Weekend

Off 4th September 2012

This autumnal event at Killerton Estate near Exeter, this year the National Trust are running a weekend long event to celebrate apple day over the 20th and 21st of October.

The event runs from 11am – 4pm both days and is free to National Trust members, otherwise Adult £2, Child £1 and Family £5. Please get in touch if you require any further details.

On Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 October, they are hosting a two day National Apple Day celebration in the orchards.

Join us to celebrate the coming of autumn

There is a long history of cider-making on the Killerton estate and they are passionate about conserving the orchards and keeping this heritage alive. Orchards and old English apple varieties are in decline and our National Apple Day event will highlight the importance of protecting them for both wildlife and the Devon landscape.

Over 50 acres of traditional orchards

Nearly 100 varieties of old English apple are grown at Killerton, including the Killerton Sweet and the Killerton Sharp which are unique and originate from a 2,400 acre farming estate.

Peek behind the scenes

You can follow the orchard discovery trail to witness the 200 year old giant cider press in action, see where the beehives are kept, try the traditional craft of barrel-making with one of the UKs last remaining Coopers and have a go at woodturning using Killerton’s apple wood.

Taste the fruits of our labour

Both the estate cider and new apple juice won a 2012 silver Taste of the West award this year. The cider continues to win the National Trust Fine Farm Food Award which recognises the very best produce from National Trust farms and estates. Throughout our apple weekend, adults are invited to taste award-winners at the Killerton Cider Bar.

Bring your own apples

Take along a bag of your own garden apples to the event to mill and press into a bottle of juice to take home and on Sunday meet an apple ID expert who will help identify varieties of visitor’s home-grown cider apples. Stalls will be selling English apple trees, cider making equipment and books.

Children will be buzzing

For our younger visitors there will be village fete games to play, apple face painting and a Bumble Bee March through the orchard.

Wet your appetite

The Killerton Kitchen food tent will serving up hog roast with home made apple sauce, autumnal mulled cider and apple juice and vegetarian options. Sit back and enjoy a picnic lunch amongst the apple trees with live music, apple-juggling, apple folklore talks and a medieval Mummers Play to bless the orchard.

Apple day events

Off 13th October 2010

Apple day at Stanmer Park, East Sussex

October is a very exciting month for cider fans, not only do you get to harvest this years apples, make cider and visit some fantastic pubs during cider month, there is also Apple day – a collection of nationwide events to celebrate the ultimate fruit of gods ;)

A great way to learn about what makes cider great, the different types of apples grown locally near you, and how to make cider..

Here is our choice of the best apple day events around the UK:

Apple Festival at Middle Farm, Firle, East Sussex, 16th & 17th October

A hearty celebration in music, dance and feasting of all things apple. A huge assortment of locally sourced apples and pears,a proper old time funfair, a huge puppet show, morris sides, scrumptious cosmopolitan hot and cold eats, cider bars, a mead bar and two music stages for your delectation and delight. Full details

Apple Day at The Stubbing Wharf, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, 23rd October

“There’s a bit of a dearth of Apple Day activity in the north, and it’s a great opportunity to get acquainted with a wide range of apple juices and ciders.” Apple Day has also become a welcome return to the Stubbing Wharf’s highly regarded Cider Festival. Whilst the Apple Day celebrates the eating and drinking delights of apples and their juices, it has also become soothing of a ‘Mini Cider Fest’. Full details

Apple day at Borough Market, London, 24th October

Bringing the taste of autumn into the heart of London, Apple Day at Borough Market is also set to be a day of autumnal festivity as live music and street performers entertain the crowds during the day. Full details

Community Cider Making at The Crown Inn, Woolhope, Herefordshire, 24th October

Turn up, have fun! Great for all ages and active participation (child labour) is encouraged. Full details

Cider making open day at Mill House Cider Museum, Owermoigne, Dorset, 28th October

Come to see a day of Traditional Cider Making taking place in October half term at the Cider Museum in Owermoigne, Dorset ! Apples will be crushed and pressed using the antique equipment – a chance for people to see the traditional way of making cider in the flesh. Full details

Don’t forget to visit our cider festival calendar

Orchard Blossom events

3 Comments 19th April 2010

As well as Apple Days every Autumn, blossom events are a very special and seasonal way to celebrate orchards, apples and the coming Summer.

We’ve listed the top three blossom events on Real Cider for your friends and family to visit:

1) Big Apple Blossom Time, Saturday 2nd – Sunday 3rd May 2010

Each May The Big Apple runs a competition for the craft cider and perry makers of the region (and beyond) to compete for the title of Cider Maker of the Year and Perry Maker of the Year. On the Sunday and Monday the public will be able to taste the entries and judge for themselves. www.bigapple.org.uk/blossomtime Twitter: @onceuponatree

Location: HR8 2QN – Google Maps link

2) Apple Blossom Day, Sunday 2th May 2010

There will be a tractor rides for everybody (Dads always want to go round twice!), a cider and apple juice bar, pig roast for the hungry, followed by cream teas for the greedy, and a Treasure Trail for all the family. More http://appleblossomday.blogspot.com Twitter: @Orchardpig

Location: BA6 8LT – Google Maps link

3) ‘Blessing Blossom’, Sunday 25th April 2010

Slow Food Ludlow and Janet & Martin Harris of Butford Organics, Butford Farm, Bodenham are pleased to announce the perfect day to say goodbye to the winter cold and snow.

slowfoodJanet & Martin and the Ludlow Slow Food group are hosting a great day out for the family on Sunday 25 April at Butford Farm, Bodenham. There will be a barbecue with their own organic pork sausages plus cider, perry or apple juice from the Farm and other treats for an informal Sunday lunch, dancing from Leominster Morris and the opening of the Farm’s new Woodland and Farm Walk.

The event starts at noon with food from about 12.30. For Slow Food members tickets are £7.00/adult and £3.00/child (12 and under) with family tickets (2 adults and 2 children) at £18.00. Tickets for non Slow Food members are £7.50, £3.50 and £20.00 respectively. Contact slowludlow@googlemail.com or Janet and Martin on 01568 797195 for tickets or more details.

Location: HR1 3LG – Google Maps link

Happy blossom day!

Don’t forget to let us know if you have any other events you would like us to mention.

Also if you go to any blossom events please add your photos to our Real Cider Gallery.

Stanmer Park Apple Day

Off 2nd November 2009

We attended the Stanmer Park Apple Day this year, here’s a review of what happened..

With over 5000 people attending it proves that sustainably produced seasonal food is going from strength to strength.

Children had a go at apple bobbing, participated in making juice on a traditional press.

Leading UK fruit historian and pomologist, Joan morgan, was on hand to identify peoples apples. Great if you have inherited an apple tree in your garden like we have. There was also a chance to buy some rare Sussex apple trees.

Apple cakes and puddings were served in the farmhouse gardens, and local chefs provided apple cookery demonstartions and lunches. Choirs, dancers and musicians kept the crowds entertained all day.

The photos we took show the orchard at Stanmer, and some of the attractions and activities on the day.

Apple day at Stanmer is part of Local Fruit Futures, a three year project funded by the Lottery, led by Brighton Permaculture Trust and managed by AirS. The project will enable small orchards to be planted across all of Sussex in schools and communities, our fruit history (and future) to be researched and publicised, the training of hundreds of people in fruit growing skills and fruit cookery and will ensure the future of rare Sussex apple varities.

Let us know what apple days you went to this year by leaving a comment below. We’d love to hear from you!

Apple days are coming!

Off 21st September 2009

Apple Day is an annual celebration of apples and orchards, traditionally held on October 21 each year.

Apple Day was initiated by Common Ground in 1990 and has been celebrated in each subsequent year by people organizing hundreds of local events.

This is your chance to get involved, if you are new to cider and want to learn more about how it is made, what makes a good cider, or even grow your own cider apples, get yourself down to a local apple day over the next few weeks. The first apple day events started last weekend and run all the way through to the end of October at various location across the country.

Apple Day events can be large or small, from apple games in a garden to large village fairs.

It’s a great day for all the family, you will have the chance to press apples, taste the different varieties of apples, for cooking and cider making. Apple identification, gardening advice, and countryside games. Sometimes the events have yummy stalls with apple related foods, meats, cakes, jams and even cookery demonstrations.

Whichever one you choose, you’ll be guaranteed to see many hundreds of apple varieties and increase your knowledge and passion for everything appley.

View all our apple day events across the UK.

We’d love to hear how you got on!

Cider Events Calendar

Off 17th February 2009

Cider events are your chance to get up close and personal with your favourite ciders from around the country, as well as learning and tasting new types from new producers.

Cider Festivals

The calendar below is a combined list of Cider and Beer Festivals. Usually CAMRA events that allow you to taste a wide range of traditional real cider.

Cider & Beer Festival Calendar used with kind permission of aletalk