News & Events 2025

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LEICESTERSHIRE
HERITAGE APPLES PROJECT:
NEWS 2025

Events
We are running a grafting course on the third Saturday in Feb 2025, all day, 9.30 for 10.00; £48. If interested please get in touch; email address is diversity(at)suttonelms.org.uk. We have a group size of 8; one place left. UPDATE-COURSE FULL!.
Venue is Cosby Methodist Church, Leicestershire LE9 1RN.

IN THE ORCHARD
A more comprehensive guide to what we offer is on Mel Wilson's LHAP website 'In the Orchard', where a list of our LHAP workshops and talks can be found.

EVENTS 2025
Sat 18 Jan Pruning Day, Cotesbach Hall. 10am-1pm. (not an LHAP event).
Sat 18 Jan Pruning Course, Amber Valley Vineyard (Mel)
Sat 8 Feb Pruning Day round 2, Cotesbach Hall, 10am - 1 pm, (not LHAP)
Sun 2 Feb Grafting Workshop, 2hr, 3pm, local allotment holders. (Mel & Saff)
Sat 8 Jan Grafting Workshop, Amber Valley Vineyard (Mel & Saff)
Sun 2 Feb Grafting Workshop, 2hr, 10am, Hathern Community Orchard gp. (Mel & Saff)
Sat 15 Feb: all-day Cosby grafting course, 9.30 for 10.00; ends 3.00-3.30(ish) Cosby Methodist Church. (Nigel & Alison) £48 pp. RESCHEDULED TO 1 MAR.
Sat 15 Feb: Community Orchard Group, Mkt. Harborough (Mel & Dave)
Sun 23 Feb: Nigel assisting Lubenham grafters & growers; grafting session. (not LHAP)
Wed 14 Apr Cottesmore Garden Club, talk on Leicestershire Heritage Apples, 2pm (Nigel & Alison)
Sat 11 Oct, Cosby Apple Day, all day. Times t.b.c. (Nigel & Alison)
Sun 12 Oct, Apple Day, apple tasting at Donisthorpe orchard, 11.00am - 3pm. (Nigel & Alison)
Mon 27 Oct; 2.00 for 2.30: Talk on LHAP to S.Wigston Flower/Gdn Club Soc., Sal. Army Hall, as last year. (Nigel & Alison)
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GRAFTING COURSE, Sat 15 Feb
Cosby course originally timetabled for 15 Feb but unavoidably moved to 1st March. Anyone not able to attend on the new date will be accommodated separately.

15 Feb 25

GRAFTING WORKSHOP, Sat 15 Feb
Another community orchard in the making for Market Harborough. Session run by Mel and Dave.

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15 Feb 25

GRAFTING WORKSHOP, Sat 8 Feb
Another event at Amber Valley Vineyard, given by Mel and Saff. All went well; each participant departed with new skills and two trees.

9 Feb 25

ORCHARD PRUNING SESSION, COTESBACH HALL, 8 Feb 25
Another volunteers' pruning day tidying up the apple trees at Cotesbach: Sophy, Judith, Jonny and Nigel (Not an LHAP event). The Rev Wilks (a superb baking apple) needed a lot of work, as did the Bramley (rather too vigorous), and the Wyken Pippin's awkward growth habit was challenging. However the rest were fairly straightforward. We worked mainly on the older trees this time. The original Martin's Custard is now looking in much better shape after some careful chainsaw work. It was another very dull day; I don't think we saw the sun.

Many thanks to Sophy for a delightful day and for again preparing a delicious lunch. The soup and focaccia bread were awesome!

9 Feb 25

GRAFTING WORKSHOPS, Sun 2 Feb
Two grafting workshops: 10am (10 students) from Hathern Community Orchard, and at 3pm, a mixture of allotment holders and keen gardeners (9 students) interested in putting Leicestershire apples in their plots. The courses were run by Mel and Saff. The grafters all went away happily with their two trees.

We are starting to use NFC (Near-Field Communication) technology, which was new to me until Mel explained it. You may have met NFC in museums. Point your mobile phone at a tag and you get detailed information about the thing you're looking at. You can do the same with trees. Aim your smart phone at the NFC label on a tree and it can tell you when it fruits, what the fruit looks like, and the sort of ground to which it is best-suited. It can even direct you to the LHAP websites (mine or Mel's) and the list of our activities. If you visit Hathern's orchard, give it a try.

Finally I'm pleased to report that the all-day grafting course (Sat 15 Feb) at Cosby is now full; Alison and I look forward to seeing you on the day; 9.30 for 10.00.

4 Feb 25

PRUNING COURSE, AMBER VALLEY VINEYARD, 18 Jan 25
On 18/1 Amber Valley Vineyard hosted a LHAP hands-on pruning course aimed at educating both beginner and experienced gardeners and vineyard workers about the essential practice of pruning. The session focused on the significance of pruning in maintaining plant health, encouraging better yields, and enhancing the overall aesthetics of the vineyard.

Reasons for Pruning
The course began with a discussion of the reasons why pruning is essential. Participants learned that pruning helps manage the shape and size of plants, removes dead or diseased wood, and promotes healthier growth by allowing better airflow and sunlight penetration. The importance of pruning for apples was particularly emphasized, explaining how it can influence both the quantity and quality of the harvest.

Participant Needs and Objectives
Each participant was invited to share their reasons for attending the course, as well as their specific needs and areas of interest. Some were looking to improve their skills for personal gardening, while others were orchard workers eager to hone their knowledge for professional purposes. This dialogue helped tailor the session to address the diverse needs of the group, ensuring that everyone left with practical insights they could apply to their own pruning activities.

Hands-On Demonstrations
The group then moved on to the practical portion of the course, where our experienced instructors demonstrated various pruning techniques on apple trees. The demonstrations covered key aspects of pruning, including how to identify the best areas to cut, the tools to use, and the timing for each type of pruning. Participants were encouraged to ask questions as the demonstrations took place to ensure a clear understanding of the methods.

Reflection and Discussion
After the demonstrations, participants were invited to share their thoughts and reflections on what they had just observed. They discussed why certain techniques were preferred over others and how these methods could be adapted to suit different trees, needs or situations. This open dialogue allowed everyone to voice their concerns, ask further questions, and benefit from the collective wisdom of the group.

Practical Experience
To wrap up the day, participants were given the opportunity to try their hand at pruning on other trees around the orchard. Guided by the instructors, they were able to apply what they had learned in real-time, practicing their new skills on different varieties of plants. This hands-on experience helped reinforce the concepts covered during the course and gave participants the confidence to carry out pruning tasks independently.

Overall, the pruning course at Amber Valley Vineyard was a valuable opportunity for participants to enhance their pruning knowledge and skills, whether for personal or professional use. By the end of the day, everyone walked away with a deeper understanding of how to care for their plants effectively, equipped with the tools and confidence to prune successfully.

Mel

20 Jan 25

ORCHARD PRUNING SESSION, COTESBACH HALL, 18 Jan 25
Another informal pruning day tidying up the apple trees at Cotesbach. We had quite a small group for what turned out to be the first of two sessions; there will be a follow-up in about a fortnight. Many thanks to everyone who helped. We worked mainly on a section of the younger trees; canker seems to have been a bit more severe this year. Kidd's Orange needed plenty of attention with a knife, and there was also some on the Ellison's Orange, which is usually fairly immune. The excess rain last year can't have helped.

The orchard has some interesting trees - Leicestershire varities (Prince Charles, Annie Elizabeth, Langton Nonesuch), heritage varieties (Court de Wick, Ribston, Kidd's Orange, Ellison's, Laxton's Fortune), along with pears, plums, a medlar and a very old Martin's Custard. The trees are now well-shaped and we carried out maintenance pruning only. (Although I was involved as a volunteer, this was not a LHAP event - ND)

Many thanks to Sophy for an enjoyable day and for preparing a delicious lunch.

I've put a few snaps below. Click on the thumbnails for bigger pictures.

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20 Jan 25

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