Come join us for an apple Wassail this winter. Traditionally a Wassail involves singing, shouting, banging pots to drive away evil orchard spirits, hanging toast on branches and pouring cider on trees to encourage a good harvest in the coming year. This is usually performed on the twelth night after Christmas but Growing Newbury Green will be leading theirs a little bit later.

“Here’s to thee old apple tree, long may ee bud and long may ee blow, long may ee bear apples enow.
Hats full, caps full, bushel sacks full and my pockets full too. Huzzah!”

Growing Newbury Green is a group of local volunteers who have planted 6 community orchards across Newbury to provide free fruit to anyone living locally or walking in the parks. Additionally they have re-introduced old Berkshire-bred varieties of apples. This year they will hold their 4th annual Wassail event followed by the first orchard pruning of the new year at their orchard at the City Rec grounds.

Things to bring with you: good footwear; a pot/saucepan and something to hit it with; cider; slices of toast!

Orchard Pruning

We will also be helping GNG with an annual prune of the apple orchard, so this is a great way of joining in and finding out about tree care. No prior experience is necessary. If you have an apple tree at home and you’re not sure how to treat it, this is the ideal day for you as they will be giving hints and tips on how to get the best from the trees. Please do wear decent footware if it’s damp and ideally bring a pair of secateurs. Other equipment will be provided.