We set up our family orchard in 2009 having had a life long dream of owning a smallholding. We quickly realised livestock are a full time commitment, so we restricted ourselves to chickens in the garden and a couple of bee hives on the field. Inspired by holiday visits to apple and cider orchards in the Isle of Wight and Northern France, we decided to plant our own trees in North Worcestershire. Over the next seven years with the help of family and friends we planted a total of 620 apple trees. These included a mixture of heritage Worcestershire varieties and others well known for juicing. In addition we established a small cider orchard.
We have expanded the orchard adding a range of other fruit trees including plums, cherries, pears, a medlar and even an apricot tree! We have also planted soft fruit bushes (blackcurrants, redcurrants, gooseberries, raspberries and blackberries). An edible hedge, a range of nut trees and a hazel and willow and firewood coppice (of ash, beech and poplar) complete the planting to date. We have also expanded our Fruitfields honey apiaries. Our main orchard apiary has extensively developed and we also have our newer reservoir apiary.
We work in harmony with nature ensuring no chemicals are used on our field and no artificial preservatives are added to our juice or other products. We prune, pick and press the apples by hand using traditional methods.
We are now beginning to see the fruits of our labours and are excited about the future.
Our vision is to produce the best tasting local apple juice, cider and honey.