Community Orchard

Tue 5 Dec 2023, 14:09

Doh!

Sun 3 Dec 2023, 23:56

If you mean the trees by the postbox, Malcolm, they are (very productive) walnuts. Love them ... 

Sun 3 Dec 2023, 23:38

Aren't the small grove of trees opposite the school, at the entrance to Ticknell Piece and The Slade, Sweet Chestnuts?

Sat 2 Dec 2023, 09:08

I'm glad this is back on track.  Which "Community Group" might pick this up on the town's behalf?  They can then consider where we might have the mini-orchard.

Fri 1 Dec 2023, 17:59

Or part of the under-used playing fields?

Fri 1 Dec 2023, 12:19

There are fruit trees at the solar farm, but they couldn't be a community orchard as the solar farm isn't publicly accessible.

This is a great idea though - could we use some space on nine acres for it? Or part of the field next to ticknell piece?

Fri 1 Dec 2023, 10:17 (last edited on Fri 1 Dec 2023, 10:18)

Sorry that this thread about funding for Coronation Community Orchards got diverted onto apple trees and cider. The trees that qualify for a bid for funding from WODC include Pears, Quinces, Greengages, Plums, Walnuts, Cherries, as well as apples. Other fruit or nut trees would also count.

"Orchards" means only 5 trees or more. We have quite a lot of apple trees in Charlbury, but we have few walnut trees, and I don't know of any sweet chestnuts. Almonds, Plums or Hazel would also be great for those with a smaller plot of land. It would be wonderful if there were a community group in Charlbury which had space for 6 or more trees on their land.

The applicants need to be community groups, but these can include Schools, Residents associations, Businesses, Landowners with publicly accessible land, as well as Town and Parish Councils. Sports groups (Bowls Club, Cricket Club etc.) or the Corner House and Memorial Hall presumably also count.

Bids for next year's planting season need to be put in by February and/or March 2024; but with a 2nd round of bids later in 2024 for planting by early 2025. The WODC page about the project is here: https://www.westoxon.gov.uk/CoronationOrchards

Thu 30 Nov 2023, 14:40

That's what the link in my original post, below, is to. If they're giving away money, let's have some!

Thu 30 Nov 2023, 14:36

There’s an article in today’s Oxford Times about a fund for community orchards of at least five trees.  It’s run by WODC.  Details on page 51 of the paper.

Thu 30 Nov 2023, 13:28

@johnpartington - how does one appl[e]y to have an orchard?

Thu 30 Nov 2023, 10:08

As I learned when I lived in Somerset with lots of apples, to make cider the apples have to be stored for quite some time; you can't pick them and pop them straight into a cider press.  So the issue of storage space has to be considered.  Also from my time in Somerset I remember that some of the older residents recalled adding something secret to the liquid before it started to ferment - moleskin trousers was one suggestion.  

Wed 29 Nov 2023, 23:16

Don't we already have a community orchard?  I'm pretty confident it was part of the plan granted permission that included the solar farm.

Wed 29 Nov 2023, 19:56

Can Charlbury have one of these?

(Then the next step is a town cider press.)