Apple Day at Shatton

On Sunday the 10th October 2010 an Apple Day organized by Transition Hope Valley was held by kind permission of the owners at Townfield Barn, Shatton. BCOG volunteers set up the apple presses and started cutting up apples. A glorious, sunny day brought many visitors and we were pushed to keep up with the demand for cups of fresh juice. Many families brought boxes of their own apples for juicing and business was brisk.

BCOG volunteers setting up Dick's apple press at the Apple Day held at Shatton on 10 October - the calm before the storm!

Other stalls included information on fruit growing and samples of many different varieties of apple, with experts on hand to provide advice. The Peak Park had a stand, as did the Grindleford Allotment Society, and there was some interesting information on beekeeping.

There were demonstrations of traditional skills including willow weaving, basket making and teasing and spinning wool. People lazed in the sun (yes really!) whilst children played in the field and live folk music was being played. There were also plenty of refreshments available, including apple fritters made while you waited, sausages and tea and cakes.

The farm owner kindly gave a tour of his orchard which was highly informative and entertaining. He grows a wide selection of apples and we were even able to sample a few of them.

All in all it was a thoroughly enjoyable, typically English and slightly nostalgic day. It was so well attended that hopefully it could become a popular annual event.

For some more pictures, please visit: http://www.flickr.com/groups/transitionhopevalley/