Yesterday we showed the Britain in Bloom judges around the orchard (we've been included in the Lowick in Bloom entry). I'd only been given 10 minutes to describe the project - so I had a trail run before the judges arrived to make sure all my notes were in order. Unfortunately, during my practice I left my telephone in stopwatch mode on top of the truck whilst showing my imaginary judges through the trees (it must have been an odd sight!). I returned to find Tom had driven the truck away and my telephone has vanished :( Never mind, the real judges were very enthusiastic so I hope the Lowick in Bloom entry does well this year. The village 'In Bloom'  team always work tremendously hard and we wouldn't have made the orchard if we hadn't been inspired by the community spirit the Lowick in Bloom ladies had created in the village.

On this sunny Wednesday morning representatives from HospiceCare Northumberland arrived in the orchard armed with snowdrop bulbs that had been donated by local people and a garden centre. They've planted a double row along the top footpath so (providing Tom doesn't take them out with the tractor) they should look super in the Spring. Many thanks Angela!

Buckets and buckets of water...

Tom and I have just watered all 82 trees! We gave each tree half a bucket - it's a long way to the top of the orchard carrying 6 gallons of water at a time! It was satisfying to see the new shoots starting to appear on the newly planted 'twigs' and there's even a tiny sprinkling of blossom showing!

Planting our Orchard

Our orchard has trees! 52 people met in a field at Hunting Hall farm yesterday to plant Lowick Community Orchard. It was a tremendous effort! Local people, from the ages of 2 to 80, worked tremendously hard through April showers to plant 82 heritage fruit trees. Each tree had been sponsored by a member of the public, and there were some wonderful old varieties included; an Isaac Newton apple tree, which is said to be propagated from the tree in Isaac Newton’s garden under which 'the notion of gravity came into his mind occasion'd by the fall of an apple,'; Hunt House, a fruit that was enjoyed by Captain Cook’s men to prevent scurvy; Bloody Ploughman, an old apple associated with the story of a poor ploughman who came to a sticky end, and many more fruit varieties. A huge thank you to everyone who helped make this day so successful; your support was wonderful!


A full set of photographs of the day's events may be found on the Hunting Hall Facebook page.