Fruit Trees for free - with conditions

I can rise and shine - just not at the same time!
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The only normal people you know are the ones you don’t know very well
Comments
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What an excellent idea!
Tried to have a look on their website but can't see an active link to get to an application form. Just the one for applications that ended last Feb. Any help with this would be most appreciated!!!
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"Never retract, never explain, never apologise; get things done and let them howl.” Nellie McClung0 -
twopenny said:This seems to be an annual event by the Somerset Cider makers Thatchers.If you run a community orchard or would like to start one, fruit for food cupboards and the like they give away 50 fruit trees a year.You need to read it more throughly to see what trees (I'm thinking it's not Cider apples ;-) and what intend.If you've missed this year then it happens each year apparantly.Farway also has noted this on a smaller scale issued by some local councils I think. Hopefully he will post the details.It would be a nice thing to start the new year off, more real fruit trees growing. Blossom for polinators, trees for nesting and of course, fresh fruit for free which is a whole different flavour to the supermarket ones.And some you can keep in store, fresh all winter without the chemical waxing.You could even start your own WassailWe've had more villages start this tradition around here in the New Year - as well as Apple Days in autumn.Here are the details from my local council, note it is local East Hants and not nationwideI can't see a closing date, but collection is 22 Feb and numbers are limitedI’ve got another apple [had apple + cherry last year] and a Filbert on orderWorth asking around your areas, or maybe sowing the idea to local green group or similar for 2025 / 26 ?Application here
Eight out of ten owners who expressed a preference said their cats preferred other peoples gardens2 -
Brie said:What an excellent idea!
Tried to have a look on their website but can't see an active link to get to an application form. Just the one for applications that ended last Feb. Any help with this would be most appreciated!!!'ere U go, cribbed from Somerset web siteThe trees have been selected for easy growing and minimum upkeep, including varieties such as Bramley, Scrumptious, Dabinett, and Katy.
Applications open on December 26, 2024, and run until January 31, 2025.
To apply, visit the Thatchers Cider website and fill in the form, detailing your organisation and how the orchard will benefit your group or community.
I can thoroughly recommend the Scrumptious variety
Eight out of ten owners who expressed a preference said their cats preferred other peoples gardens2 -
Thanks Farway. Not sure what's happening but after the initial click the next page is an error. Maybe they're already sold out??
Wondering what a scrumptious is like. Not being a brit I miss my home apple varieties that are almost never available in this country. Like Macs or Swayzes - good sharp crisp apples that are nice eaters but better cookers and will last til spring time. I've come across Empires occasionally but not in the last decade at least. Most of what's sold seems to be mushy eaters, sweet but with little flavour.I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Debt Free Wannabe and Old Style Money Saving boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
"Never retract, never explain, never apologise; get things done and let them howl.” Nellie McClung2 -
The problem with one of our local old orchards is that with more people arriving from the city than locals now is that they don't understand picking apples.They tried supplying the local farm shop and to buy on Apple Day but the village has a 'day to pick' and did all varieties so that's to suit people not the fruitResult is that they are mostly underripe so don't sell. Not sure if anyone has told them.An apple is ripe for picking as I was taught, is to lift it gently. If it snaps off more or less of it's own accord it's ready.If it needs twisting and turning etc then it is not ready to be picked and can damage the tree.Picked and unblemished Bramleys I used to store in fish trays, no paper but not touching. Lasted till March so were there as and when you wanted them.Windfalls for chutney and freezing etc.
I can rise and shine - just not at the same time!
viral kindness .....kindness is contageous pass it on
The only normal people you know are the ones you don’t know very well
3 -
One of our local community orchards has failed to pick any fruit for years because it is removed before being even ripe. They spoke to a guy carrying 2 carriers bags full the other year and explained that the fruit weren't yet ripe. "well, my horse likes them as they are."
General ignorance is rife even on allotments, let alone gardens. People try to store Discovery and get upset. Others taste Kidd's Orange Red in October, find it foul and give up or worse grub out the tree.
And tastes are dictated by supermarkets, light sweet eaters that are provided crisp and have thin skins. Nothing with much flavour. Bramley is a travesty, picked unripe, nitrogen stored, and sold green.
OK a lot of people don't have easy cool storage, but understanding that White Transparent is edible for c3 weeks from mid Julyish and Relinda isn't edible until March goes a long way.
Hopefully, Thatchers' have chosen varieties with a range of eating seasons. Dabinett by the way is a cider apple. Katy a decent red eater in October, with a light modern flavour.If you've have not made a mistake, you've made nothing3 -
RAS said:One of our local community orchards has failed to pick any fruit for years because it is removed before being even ripe. They spoke to a guy carrying 2 carriers bags full the other year and explained that the fruit weren't yet ripe. "well, my horse likes them as they are."
General ignorance is rife even on allotments, let alone gardens. People try to store Discovery and get upset. Others taste Kidd's Orange Red in October, find it foul and give up or worse grub out the tree.
And tastes are dictated by supermarkets, light sweet eaters that are provided crisp and have thin skins. Nothing with much flavour. Bramley is a travesty, picked unripe, nitrogen stored, and sold green.
OK a lot of people don't have easy cool storage, but understanding that White Transparent is edible for c3 weeks from mid Julyish and Relinda isn't edible until March goes a long way.
Hopefully, Thatchers' have chosen varieties with a range of eating seasons. Dabinett by the way is a cider apple. Katy a decent red eater in October, with a light modern flavour.I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Debt Free Wannabe and Old Style Money Saving boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
"Never retract, never explain, never apologise; get things done and let them howl.” Nellie McClung1 -
This may be of interest, “patio” fruit trees offer from T & MOne per customerConference pear + Braeburn apple, both for £102 Bare Root Trees (Height 1.2m, 1 of each variety)
Offer ends midnight, 31st December 2024 or while stocks last.
Limited to 1 per order. Normal delivery charges apply.
Use order code TM_TN5561W.
Delivery is £7.99 BTW,I've put Patio in " because if left unpruned or not trained these will eventually be about ten feet high, a bit more for the pear
Eight out of ten owners who expressed a preference said their cats preferred other peoples gardens2 -
Wow some great information hereRas that is terrible
What is it with people these days when there's more quick information available than ever before and they don't bother to look for it
Not having an established Bramley at my new house I've found a way with the supermarket ones. Store them in a bowl with a banana and allow to ripen slowly. You do have to watch that they don't 'go over' but the cooking and taste is fairly normal. Lacks the heavenly taste of fresh but it's nice enough.I know that citrus is stored for up to 2yrs so no goodness, olives are in tanks of acid to make them black and supermarket tomatoes have only 30% of goodness of home grown. Veg looses it's vitamins fast as they are stored.Thought I'd bung that in for good measureBrie I've never heard of transparant apples but that's interesting about the pies. I'm going to read up on that.Farway, thanks for that, that's good news for me I think. I've pretty much decided that with our current climate, townies moving into villages don't grow veg let alone sell it at the roadside - I could do with less flowers and more fruit and veg.Being a tiny garden with 5 fruit trees already patio would be good.They haven't bought out any that are squirel proof have they?I can rise and shine - just not at the same time!
viral kindness .....kindness is contageous pass it on
The only normal people you know are the ones you don’t know very well
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