Keeping It Local...
Part of the Colwall Orchard Group ethos is work within our immediate environment and to keep things local wherever possible.
We were delighted to recently have been given a set of fabulous hand-crafted pottery mugs made by one of our volunteers and supporters - Les Rucinski.
The clay for the mugs came from the Colwall Village Garden site and was excavated during preparations for planting a group of cordon apple trees earlier this year. Les then did his magic with a potters wheel and kiln at his home workshop in Colwall.
Both Les, and his wife Gabrielle, are skilled potters and they occasionally run pottery courses, or can take commissions for bespoke new work.
For more details please contact Les at lesrucinski@gmail.com
Traditional Orchards for the Future Initiative (TOFI)
Working alongside our partners, the Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, we are delighted to be able to report the launch of the Traditional Orchards for the Future Initiative (TOFI).
We have written to landowners in Colwall who we think own a local traditional orchard (defined as 'groups of at least five fruit and nut trees planted on vigorous rootstocks at low densities in permanent grassland and managed in a low intensity way').
Recognising the value that traditional orchards bring to both people and nature the initiative provides the opportunity for landowners to acquire new trees and tree protection, obtain free advice and free help to plant trees. In return landowners will be responsible for providing a suitable planting location, selecting the fruit trees and taking care of them after planting.
The aim is to provide new trees to extend or to gap up existing traditional orchards in order that they continue to exist and thrive.
Initial expressions of interest need to be received by 31st July 2020 and it's envisaged that the trees will be planted this winter with completion due early in 2021.
For more information please email us at members@colwallorchardgroup.org or phone Wendy on 07544 530017.
Meadows Project Update
Those of you who are regular visitors to the News page of this website will be aware that we are nearing the end of the first year of a ten year project to create two one acre orchard wildflower meadows at our sites at Colwall Village Garden and Lugg's Mill.
The work so far has involved preparing the two one acre receptor pilot plots, harvesting seed from a local donor wildflower meadow, preparing the seed for broadcasting, sowing the seed and managing the plots afterwards.
At the start of the process we undertook wildflower and bumblebee surveys to establish baseline data on quantities and types of species present. Now, a year later, we have just repeated the process and are able to report upon the progress so far.
We are delighted to be able to say that we've had some fantastic results.
At Colwall Village Garden we started with very few different plant species in our one acre pilot plot. The baseline survey indicated the presence of lots of rye grass with a handful of undesirable weed species including hogweed, nettle and creeping thistle. Whilst those species are still present their numbers have not increased significantly and also now growing there are significant quantities of yellow rattle and meadow buttercup; together with common mouse ear, ribwort plantain and red clover. All told the presence of desirable species has risen dramatically from an average of 0.3 desirable species / m2 in 2019 to 3.6 species / m2 in 2020.
The story at the other pilot plot at Lugg's Mill was very similar but with better quantities of plants like common mouse ear together with common sorrel and white clover. At Lugg's Mill, again there's not been a significant increase in undesirable weed species and the desirable plant species have risen from an average of 1.0 / m2 in 2019 to 4.2 / m2 in 2020.
The bumblebee surveys were less impressive, but from casual observation earlier in the year they were present earlier in the season, just not so later on when the official survey took place.
All in all, these are very credible results and we are enthused and greatly encouraged. This has been a very positive start to what is a long-term piece of work
With thanks to Lindsay from our team who led on this; to our wonderful supporters and hard-working volunteers; to Susan the owner of the donor wildflower meadow for letting us collect seed; and to our funders, partners and helpers with this project from the Prince of Wales Charitable Fund, Plantlife, Herefordshire Meadows and the Herefordshire Wildlife Trust.
The work continues, and we hope to soon be able to harvest more wildflower seed which will be used to further improve both pilot sites over the coming months and years.
A visit to both sites is recommended where you are welcome to view what's been achieved so far.
Tree Safety Works at Lugg's Mill Orchard
As part of our regular management regime at Lugg's Mill Orchard we have recently commissioned a tree surgeon to undertake a tree safety inspection of the veteran trees that surround the site, and which are found on the banks of the stream.
Acting upon his recommendations we will be doing tree safety works there on 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th of July. The works will include French pollarding an oak, and pollarding three large ash trees. The ash trees have all been pollarded in the past so we will be following a traditional form of tree management previously carried out at Lugg's Mill Orchard.
The works will not only ensure safety for users of the site but will also let more light to enter the newly planted apple and cherry tree orchards that were created in 2017.
We will be chipping the brash which will be removed and used as a mulch elsewhere, and the logs will be corded and stacked as a wildlife habitat.
If you have any questions or concerns then please contact us at members@colwallorchardgroup.org
Supporting Ledbury Food Bank
With all of our regular events currently on hold due to Covid-19 we've been selling fewer of our small bottles of apple juice this year (although the larger size continue to sell well in Provisions of Colwall). Having reviewed our stocks we recently made the decision to donate some of our surplus to Ledbury Food Bank.
This is another local charity and it has the aim of providing food to those who are suffering financial hardship. With the uncertain times caused by the current health pandemic it's good to help those who are in immediate need, especially since we understand that demand for Ledbury Food Bank's services has increased significantly over the past few months.
More information on Ledbury Food Bank is available at http://www.ledburyfoodbank.org/
With thanks to Peter from our team for getting this organised.
Colwall Orchard Heritage Trail Leaflet
Lockdown certainly gave us all an opportunity to discover the delights of the countryside and celebrate living in a rural community. Even as lockdown eases the benefits of enjoying a simpler life will remain with us – we hope for a very long time!
Walking has proven to be a most beneficial and enjoyable pastime, and if you’re looking for a structured walk around Colwall, why not get yourself a copy of our self-guided Colwall Orchard Heritage Trail leaflet?
The leaflet contains a colourful map and tells the story of how orchards became important to Colwall. There was a thriving factory processing fruit and a bustling railway station taking products to markets in the cities of Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Cardiff. Local cherries were supplied to Cadbury's for their special chocolates!
Whether you're looking for a home educational activity, or just a leisurely stroll with a few snippets of information to entertain you as you walk this could be just what you need! As you stroll you'll also read about the wildlife you can find in our orchards and about why orchards are so good for the environment.
The 2.8 mile route starts and ends at Colwall Railway Station and includes a visit to Colwall Village Garden where you'll find a newly planted community orchard as well as allotment plots and a place to sit and enjoy the surroundings. Picnic tables and benches are spaced for socially distanced picnics and snack stops. You'll also visit Lugg's Mill Community Orchard with the babbling stream meandering through the cherry and apple trees.
You can purchase the leaflet from our website for £3.00 including postage, or for just £2 from Colwall Post Office.
It will also be available at Tourist Information Centres in Malvern and Ledbury, Colwall Library and various coffee shops when they open.
Buy the Orchard Heritage Trail Leaflet online
Use the link below to go to the web page that provides more detail and allows you to buy the leaflet online.
Things from a different perspective...
The current Covid-19 pandemic is making us take stock of life from a different perspective...
...and so to this photograph, which is something new to us. Our Chair, Andrew Spray, was fortunate enough to get offered the opportunity for a trip out in a light aircraft last year.
He took this photograph which provides a very different insight into not only the Colwall Village Garden site (middle centre), but also our Lugg's Mill Orchard site (towards top right).
It's amazing how neat and tidy everything looks from this high up. It's also striking to see the wonderful array of fine established trees and burgeoning field boundaries in the wider landscape, which our fledgling orchard trees and young hedgerows will soon rival.
Many hands make light work...
In the absence of anything more readily available this suitably colourful graphic seems appropriate that 'many hands make light work'.
We are delighted to be able to report that with the slight relaxation of the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions we have re-commenced volunteer work parties in a limited way on Friday mornings.
Over the last two weeks we have piloted a return to outdoor working - initially just with a few Board members and volunteers from our Estates committee.
Last week we worked at Lugg's Mill on fencing works, clearing the culvert to the stream, strimming vegetation and building a log pile.
This week we have concentrated upon preparatory work for new fencing provision and existing fence repairs at both Colwall Village Garden and Lugg's Mill, and positioned chestnut posts and strainers in readiness for work by a contractor and a lead volunteer due to take place next week. We also continued with much-needed watering of fruit trees.
Both sessions were productive and successful and we feel that we are developing Safe Ways of Working in keeping with current government guidance. It was lovely to get back to some degree of normality and experience the friendliness, shared sense of purpose, and banter that's typical of these work parties.
Over the coming weeks we will review our work parties and hope to soon be in a position whereby we can invite more of our usual regular volunteers to re-join us.
As ever, WATCH THIS SPACE!
JUNE 2020 - PHILLY HUNT's ARTWORK
Occupying a fragment of space with a fragment of action...
Many of you will remember Philly Hunt, one of our members and volunteers, who sadly passed away in 2019.
Philly was a popular member of the Colwall Orchard Group community, a keen environmentalist and a very talented artist - producing work in a variety of media.
One of her trademark forms of artwork was the use of slogans and one in particular - 'Occupying a fragment of space with a fragment of action' - could almost be a strapline for much of the work that we do.
We were incredibly moved to be informed that some of the proceeds from her funeral and memorial art exhibition would be donated to COG and we have been looking at a suitable way that we can use this money for an art-related project to involve young people. Unfortunately we have had to put this project on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
There was also going to be a further exhibition of Philly's work as part of this September's h.Art event. Understandably this has been cancelled this year but the intention is that her work will be viewable as part of the same event next year.
We will keep you informed with progress with these activities.
MAY 2020 - SOIL SCIENCE AND TOP TIPS FOR COMPOSTING
Soil Science
Seven Guidelines to Good Compost Making
Seven Guidelines to Good Compost Making
In a previous life, before helping to host and produce this website, your webmaster was fortunate enough to have been able to study horticulture at a leading horticultural college.
One of the core subjects taught was Soil Science. To be honest, this was a somewhat dry subject, famously taught in one of the darkest and dingiest classrooms at the whole establishment. So dim, in fact that the accommodation felt quite burrow-like, an almost underground experience.
Whether that was deliberate or not, I'm afraid I never actually discovered...
There's no denying the importance of having good soil, and doing everything possible to retain and improve it. This is true for our orchards, our meadows, our gardens and our allotment plots.
One of the allotmenteers, who shares our Colwall Village Garden site on one of the sixty allotment plots there, is an award-winning compost maker. Last year he won first prize in the Compost-making category at the Wyche and Colwall Horticultural Society annual show.
Sworn to anonymity - he has asked to simply be known as Colwall Compost Man - so his hot tips for making fantastic compost to help to improve the soil now follow...
Seven Guidelines to Good Compost Making
Seven Guidelines to Good Compost Making
Seven Guidelines to Good Compost Making
SEVEN GUIDELINES TO GOOD COMPOST MAKING
My seven key guidelines to good compost making:
1) Layering your compostable materials.
Don’t just pile compostable materials in one large dump into your bin. Try to layer what you have so a good mixture of the following is built up:
· Vegetable peelings but not meat or cooked food waste. Egg shells can be added but wash them and break up into small pieces. Cut up large sizes of melon shells or vegetables past their usable state into smaller pieces. Have a bucket with a firm lid outside you back door to store them until you can put them on your compost pile.
· Weeds from gardening but break up large clumps of grass and avoid caked on earth
· Green leaves from cuttings, flowers, leaf based hedge trimmings (not pine or similar type needle type leaves), leaves from vegetables such as cabbage, beetroots, parsnips, or courgette plants. Cut up large leaves and stems into smaller sizes as necessary to hasten rotting
· Grass cuttings but avoid dumping large quantities. In the autumn when leaves are on lawns a combination of grass and brown leaves from the mower cuttings box is a good combination
· Brown leaves of the smaller size. Avoid large maple or similar large brown leaves as they take a long time to decompose.
· Any spare earth or general sweeping of debris from garden paths etc.
2) Keep your brown leaves from the autumn/winter leaf sweeping up period.
If you have a lot of leaves over the autumn / winter then rake them up when still wet and put them into used empty fertiliser or black bags. Tie up the ends and then jab holes into the sides of the bag with a garden fork. Leave some bags near your compost bins over winter and in the spring draw on the contents of these bags to add a layer to your compost. They should have decomposed partly and will add enriching mulch to your compost bin.
3) Regular turning over of the contents to your compost bin(s).
Don’t just leave the contents of your compost in the bin and do nothing with it. From time to time get a fork and dig down into the depths of it and mix the lower contents with the higher contents. It gets the air in, mixes up differing levels of composting materials and gives the worms etc some new delicious treats!
4) Water you compost pile.
You might get some peculiar looks from your family, friends and neighbours but in dry and hot weather periods get a watering can with a spray head and water your compost bin. It lets moisture in and permeates down the depth of the compost bin.
5) Have more than one compost bin.
It takes a year for a compost pile to break down into lovely enriching compost based soil so have at least two bins. One for current use and the other left to decompose. Two bins will just about do it such that each spring you should be able to clear one bin out if you have followed these guidance notes over an annual cycle.
6) Watch for furry friends making a desirable residence in winter.
Sometimes furry friends are attracted by the warm comfort of a compost pile and you can usually see this from a pile of sifted earth like a small molehill. Just turn the area over with a fork but stand back as you might get a surprise!
7) Be patient.
Good enriching compost takes time to produce so be patient. As the phrase goes ‘good things come to all who wait’ and that is certainly true when it comes to compost making.
Colwall Compost Man
04/05/2020
Spring Visitors
We have visitors at Lugg's Mill Orchard. Beautiful Llanwenog ewes with the black face and the fabulous sheep that look like a giant puff balls are a cross of Leicester Longwool and Texel.
Grazing with sheep can form an important part of management of the grass sward between the large-sized, standard orchard trees. The sheep keep the grass cut and in doing so help to return nutrients to the soil with their dung.
Sheep cut the grass very short with their teeth in contrast to cattle who tear it off with their tongues and leave the sward longer. Sheep will eat most plants found in the sward including thistles, buttercups and docks so they are useful at controlling unwanted and invasive weed species. They however, don't usually eat nettles.
Traditionally orchards were often found on the periphery of villages and adjoining farmsteads. Fruit is a heavy crop so it made sense to have the orchards near to dwellings and to buildings where the fruit could be stored and processed.
The shade from the large trees in traditional orchards made a good place for sick animals or for horses or cows giving birth since they were more readily accessible from nearby dwellings.
Aesthetically the sheep certainly bring something to the landscape and it's good to manage our orchards in the traditional, environmentally friendly manner.
MAY 2020 -...NUTS IN MAY
Here we go gathering nuts in May...
...where on earth can you find nuts in May...???
...where on earth can you find nuts in May...???
Nuts in May
Here we go gathering nuts in May,
Nuts in May, nuts in May,
Here we go gathering nuts in May,
On a cold and frosty morning.
Who will you have for nuts in May,
Nuts in May, nuts in May,
Who will you have for nuts in May,
On a cold and frosty morning.
We'll have [name] for nuts in May,
Nuts in May, nuts in May,
We'll have [name] for nuts in May,
On a cold and frosty morning.
Who will you have to fetch him/her away,
Fetch him/her away, fetch him/her away,
Who will you have to fetch him/her away,
On a cold and frosty morning.
We'll have [name] to fetch him/her away,
Fetch him/her away, fetch him/her away,
We'll have [name] to fetch him/her away,
On a cold and frosty morning.
...where on earth can you find nuts in May...???
...where on earth can you find nuts in May...???
...where on earth can you find nuts in May...???
Confusing isn't it? We have some nut trees in our orchard at Colwall Village Garden and it's quite clear and obvious that the nuts won't be ready for eating until the autumn...
So what's this well-known, old-fashioned nursery rhyme referring to?
Well, like many things in life, you have a couple of choices as to whom you believe.
The origins of the rhyme seem to date back to the 1880s as a singing game aimed at pairing up a boy and a girl from two teams, divided by the sexes. The reference to nuts in May could possibly be a derivation of the term knots of May. The knot referring to a bunch, and May being the common name of the hawthorn tree which commonly blooms in May (pictured above the nursery rhyme). Therefore, this could be a bunch, or posy, of hawthorn blossom.
However, sticking to the edible theme there is another alternative. Conopodium majus known as pignut - but also with some wonderful alternative common names including kippernut, jarnut, and earth chestnut - is a small perennial herb. Its underground bulb resembles a chestnut (pictured above), and is edible and ready for eating in May. The plant is a well-spread throughout much of Europe and North Africa. Here in Colwall, we have some at our Lugg's Mill orchard site and it's a good indicator species of long-established grassland.
Much-loved by wild foragers and pigs alike its eating qualities are widely praised - with a taste apparently similar to a chestnut. In the past country children would have recognised this plant and possibly dug up the bulbs and eaten them on the way to and from school.
This is a plant to enjoy looking at rather than eating, and care should always be taken with any wild foraging to avoid removing protected or poisonous species. Any plants that you come across should always only be dug up with the landowner's permission.
MAY 2020 - Dawn CHORUS
International Dawn Chorus Day
We were so disappointed to have to cancel our annual Dawn Chorus Walk - a wonderful adventure walking through the paths and orchards around Colwall listening out for birdsong - with our super handy birdsong identifier Tim Dixon on hand! Followed by a delicious and well-earned breakfast of a hot sausage (vegan option available!) sandwich.
But all is not lost. Tomorrow morning, Sunday 3rd May, is International Dawn Chorus Day … and we’re inviting you to join in!
Why not get up early tomorrow morning (5am), open your windows, step outside and enjoy your morning coffee listening to birdsong.
See how many birds you can identify, and let us know how you get on so we can post your stories on our website and, if you’re brave enough, a couple of pictures too! Pyjamas and dressing gowns quite permissible!
More details are available on the RSPB website - there’s even a fabulous audio to help you to identify the birds.
And if that’s too much for such an early start, then just kick back and enjoy the birdsong - knowing we’re all doing it together.
We’ll be following them on Facebook and Twitter - and joining in with you all tomorrow morning.
Find out more about International Dawn Chorus Day
The link below will take you you the RSPB website where you can find out more about the Dawn Chorus, learn how to identify birds from their song, and play a 10 minute video with audio of bird song from RSPB reserves.
APRIL 2020 - SIGNS OF SPRING
Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorous)
It's always with some excitement that we hear the first cuckoo song of the year and today was the first time that we've heard the distinctive sound of a cuckoo calling out across our orchards in Colwall.
This visitor to the UK usually arrives in late March or early April and stays with us during the summer months with adults leaving in July or August, and their young a few weeks later. Their winter destinations are the forests of The Congo, in Africa.
According to the RSPB website there about 15,000 breeding pairs in the UK, so this is becoming quite a rare bird, and it appears on the Red List due to recent population decline.
Cuckooflower (Cardamine pratensis)
This is Cuckooflower, also known as Lady's Smock. It's a common plant of damp ground and can be found in some of the wetter areas of our community orchards at both Colwall Village Garden and Lugg's Mill.
It has an uncanny habit of flowering at almost the exact time that the first cuckoo birds can be heard calling in the countryside - so hence the common name of Cuckooflower.
It's a food plant of the caterpillars of both the orange-tip and green-veined white butterfly, and is another welcome sign of springtime in our orchards.
APRIL 2020- BLOSSOM-TIME!
Bountiful Blossom
Traditionally in May we are treated to a wonderful show of spring blossom in our fruit orchards in Colwall in Herefordshire, but this year we have enjoyed a fantastic display in late April.
Whilst the blossom of cherry trees is much revered around the world, especially in Japan, we feel that the flowers of apple trees are similarly beautiful. That should come as no surprise since commercial apple trees - Malus domestica - like other apples, pears, plums and cherries, are all members of the Rose family - Rosaceae.
You may have noticed that apples grow in clusters which duplicates the blossom arrangement. Buds appear along a side branch or longer shoot with the four buds surrounding a single, central larger one. The central bud is the 'king blossom' and should, if viable become the 'king fruit' - the largest fruit of the cluster. The other four buds open in succession which potentially provides a longer period of pollination providing the greatest opportunity for some or all of the fruit cluster to ultimately develop.
Apple blossom flowers have five petals which start out as pink and white, slowly fading to white. When the flowers first open the stamens are heavily laden with moist, cream-coloured pollen. The pollen quickly dries out and the fragrant flowers attract pollinating insects, with bees and hoverflies being especially important.
This is a critical time for the development of the fruit with low temperatures, and in particular air frosts, threatening subsequent development of the apple crop.
So why has this year's blossom come so early? The early flowering of apples seems to be following the trends associated with climate change with milder and wetter winters inducing early spring growth. This year's exceptionally wet winter has been followed by a recent long period of warm, dry weather perfect for fruit trees to start growing following winter dormancy.
So that's the scientific theory. However, one of our members did recently point out that we did have an exceptionally good Wassail in January this year - so perhaps that helped too...!
APRIL 2020
The best-laid plans...
There has probably never been such a time in many of our lifetimes when the best of plans have gone quite so wrong. Covid-19 has caused total social and economic upheaval, bringing uncertainty, inconvenience and tragedy to our community, together with many others.
Similarly, in our efforts to encourage nature, things don't always go strictly according to plan. At our Lugg's Mill orchard site in Old Church Road, Colwall, we have installed the barn owl box pictured above. This is no ordinary bird box, but instead is a beautifully crafted piece of woodwork - a Rolls-Royce of ornitholigical objects. Our minds have been racing with anticipation of balmy summer evenings spent at Lugg's Mill - binoculars at the ready - to trace the stealthy flight of a hunting barn owl as it swoops effortlessly to retrieve bountiful prey from within the flourishing wildflower meadow....
Or so we hoped!
However, we were reliably informed the other day that the said barn owl box does now have Spring residents, albeit not quite of the type that we wanted. A brief inspection from the ground did indeed show signs of habitation. The occupiers are apparently a family of jackdaws who are obviously very appreciative of some top-notch new accommodation in a highly desirable location.
To quote Robert Burns - so much for 'the best-laid plans of mice and men...'
Not perhaps what we had intended, but looking on the bright side that's a few less jackdaws to nest in the chimney pots and to accidently fall down the chimneys at our house - as they tend to do once or twice a year....!
Tree Planting at St. James The Great Church, Colwall
Another Friday and another tree planting session in Colwall...
Working in partnership with Colwall Parish Council once again, we have planted two trees in the memorial garden at Colwall, St. James The Great Church. The brief was to provide apple trees in memory of those from Colwall who lost their lives in active service with the armed forces during the Great War.
We sourced two Ashmead's Kernel trees on dwarfing rootstock, since this is a local (Gloucestershire) dessert apple variety that might have been familiar to the young men of that time, and whose origins date back to circa 1700.
Initially the plan was to plant these trees with the help of the Colwall Scouts Group but sadly the current coronavirus restrictions, combined with the urgency of needing to get bare root trees into the ground, meant that we had to work on this independently.
We hope that these trees flourish to provide an attractive, fitting and long-lasting tribute and have provided suitable tree protection to guard against the deer and rabbits that frequent the memorial garden.
April 2020 - UNFAMILIAR TIMES...
...and an unusual plant to be found at Lugg's Mill
There's no doubt that we are currently experiencing unfamiliar and very uncertain times.
Whilst snatching our opportunity to take much-needed outdoor exercise the temptation in early Spring is to look upwards - to enjoy the wonderful emerging blossom on the pear trees in the orchards and the blackthorn adorning our hedgerows with billowing frothiness. But don't forget to also look down at the ground...
Spotted near to the stream at Lugg's Mill is this unusual plant. This is Purple Toothwort (Lathraea clandestina) a parasitic plant which grows on the roots of alder, poplar and willow. It has no chlorophyll, so cannot photosynthesise, and obtains nutrients from the host plant. It is also able to trap and digest insects. Predominantly living underground, with no leaves, the purple structures are the above-ground flowers.
This is one of over seventy species of plants that we have current knowledge of at our Lugg's Mill orchard site in Old Church Road, Colwall.
Hopefully there will be more later this summer as part of our pilot Orchard Meadows project so keep your eyes open for further interesting plants over the coming months...