Wednesday 29 September 2010

Stream Farm


We are very pleased to be bottling the first apple crop from Stream Farm in the Quantock Hills, Somerset.  The juice is a blend of Red Windsor, Bramley, Red Devil, Egremont Russet and Red Falstaff. 

Stream Farm is an 250 acre organic farm with an interesting vision - its owners have started several farming businesses on their land with the intention of handing each one on once it is profitable to farmers who see things as they do. 

Henrietta and James bought Stream Farm lock, stock and barrel in 2002. It had a small herd of 28 Dexter Cattle and a small flock of 26 Hampshire Down sheep. They have increased the herd to 200 and the flock to about 300. 

They sell their award winning produce online and at Food Festivals and Farmers’ Markets. Thus far they sell organic beef, chicken, lamb, pork, mutton, and stream fed, line caught trout.  For more information see the website at www.streamfarm.co.uk

If you have apples that you would like pressed and bottled do get in touch with us.

Friday 24 September 2010

Appropriate clothing



We have lots of schools visiting our orchard (see School visits tab) and we always remind them to wear the right clothes for the outdoors, and particularly the right footwear.

We were delighted to see that Wells Cathedral School took us very seriously!

Tuesday 14 September 2010

Apple Scrumping Day 2




It was a beautiful sunny day and we had an overflowing car park by 11.00 in the morning.  Everyone worked flat out all day chopping and squishing and pressing to turn the apples people picked in the orchard into juice to take home.  Huge thanks are due to Camilla and Amanda from Vigo who brought along one of their fruit presses and a big yellow muncher cruncher to chop up the fruit.  
Anyone who has more fruit than they can eat should certainly think about turning it into juice and a small Vigo press would really come in handy.  See www.vigopresses.co.uk or telephone 01404 892101.
We had such a lot of fun and the general public worked hard too, lots of dads and kids taking turns at the presses.  Thanks to Jasmine for the bacon butties, and to Fergus (not quite 7) who was her right hand man.




We're definitely up for it again next year.

Thursday 9 September 2010

Apple Scrumping Day



We’re doing something new on Sunday 12 September.  We’ll be offering to turn the apples people pick at the PYO into juice, bottle it and even give the bottles personalised labels.


Vigo, who provide us with equipment, are coming along to help and bringing some extra kit.  We’ll be chopping up the apples, pressing them for juice and pasteurising the bottles so the juice keeps.  So much easier than storing the apples for winter in the attic, and so much more fun to be able to offer your guests your own juice!


People can even make up their own blends from the fruit in the orchard - we have fifteen different kinds of apple to choose from and four different varieties of pear.


The sun is supposed to shine, and we’ll have a barbeque for hungry customers.


We look forward to seeing you all - West Bradley Orchards, 10.00 - 5.00 Sunday 12 September.

Monday 6 September 2010

First PYO weekend of 2010 a success




Lots of people came to West Bradley for the first weekend this year of Pick Your Own.  The weather stayed sunny - more or less - and the fruit is looking really good.  People were filling wheelbarrows with apples and pears.  Many were intending to store the fruit until needed, and some said that their eyes were just bigger than their brains!  It is wonderful to see a whole orchard bursting with ripe fruit, each one a beauty.


Pick Your Own will continue on each weekend throughout September. All apples and pears are £1.10 per kilo. 


The harvest begins next week with our own pickers coming in during the week, and then it's absolutely full-on until Christmas.