Volunteering – 23rd February

On Sunday 23rd February we’ll be pruning the apple and pear trees in the orchard. Meet at the Wardens Centre at 10am.


We have a lovely orchard at Forest Farm, but it’s in need of some TLC.

Most of the trees have become very overgrown and some have badly damaged branches as a result of being allowed to grow too long and/or bearing too much fruit.

Thankfully they’re not beyond hope and just need some remedial pruning and re-shaping (which will take two or three years to achieve in many cases — as they say, it’s a marathon, not a sprint).

With this is mind, a couple of the committee have just been on an Orchard Management workshop, so rather than knowing nothing about pruning fruit trees, we now know next-to-nothing (but hopefully just enough not to be actively dangerous).

So, we’re aiming to pass on what little expertise we now have. We’ve also invited other attendees at the Orchard Management workshop to come along and help, if they can make it.

Of course, if you already know how to prune fruit trees, you’d be extremely welcome! (And you can stop us doing anything daft.)

All tools and equipment will be provided. There will also be tea, coffee and biscuits!