Dunsden Community Orchard

It's not too late to join in with the fun of the first ever Dunsden Community Orchard quiz night. The event takes place tomorrow (Saturday) evening at 7.30 in the village hall.

Prepare to pit your wits against the sabre-sharp intellectual elite of Dunsden and Binfield Heath (or should they not appear) enjoy a light supper, some fun brain-teasers and the chance of winning some stunning raffle prizes. Tickets for two for a show at the Mill at Sonning are on offer as well as dinner and an overnight stay for two at the luxurious French Horn Hotel. All this for the bargain price of £7! Eight teams are already taking part. You can either call Beth Timms for tickets now on 0118 946 1987 or just turn up (individually or as a team) on the night. Please forward this to friends who might be interested.

All proceeds to Dunsden Community Orchard. Many thanks to all our generous supporters including Sally Hughes at the Mill at Sonning and Michael Emmanuel at the French Horn Hotel (raffle prize does not include drinks).

Tickets are now on sale for our Grand Quiz Night to be held in Dunsden Village Hall on Saturday 11 October. They cost just £7, which includes a ploughman's supper and apple pudding. Questions will be test your general knowledge rather than being all about apples. Why not ask friends to join you and make up a team? Full details and tickets from Beth Timms on 0118 946 1987.

A recent working party was a great success and the orchard is now looking very spruce after its tidy up. Future working parties will include autumn tree planting and boundary clearance.

Almost 20 people have now sponsored trees and it is hoped to order and attach special commerative tree labels soon. It's not too late if you want to become a member of the orchard or sponsor a tree - just look at the up-to-date plan on this site, and print off and post the application form.

Don't forget we will also be at the Henley Show Ploughing Match and Country Fayre on Sunday 5 October. The event, which is held at Bishopsland RG4 9NR on the Sonning Common road beyond Dunsden, begins at 9.15am with the blessing of the plough. There will be lots to do for all the family, including ploughing demonstrations by shire horses. There will also be ferret racing, a poultry auction, trailer rides, outside trade stands and craft stands in the marquee. Bar and refreshments available all day. For more see the show website.

Thanks to the generosity of Richard Butler, Branch Manager at Travis Perkins, Playhatch we were able to re-instate access from Tagg Lane to the orchard last weekend. Travis Perkins donated two drainage pipes and have promised some fencing, so now we will be able to get a bowser into the orchard to prevent any more trees from dying. Volunteers will be needed to maintain the watering rota.

Tree sponsorship is proving a big success - a big thank you to all that have supported us so far - and we are also inviting people to become members of the orchard. Just download the form available here.

Most of the trees are thriving, some more trees have been planted, and a final batch is due in the autumn. We will soon be posting a new map of the orchard which will show which trees have already been sponsored. 

After several working parties in chilly conditions it is very encouraging to be able to report that almost every tree has survived and is now in leaf - and some have even been flowering. The grass has also been growing rapidly in the recent warm weather. At last night's planning group (minutes) further work was scheduled including drainage in Tagg Lane. Full details from working party co-ordinator timcoul[at]live.co.uk who will be happy to hear from potential volunteers.

We will also shortly be launching our membership scheme and a chance to adopt-a-tree - a great way for you and your family to learn about a traditional local fruit tree variety for a very modest donation.

We are also seeking grants to fund further tree planting, hedging and the creation of a living willow arch.

The community orchard hopes to be at the Binfield Heath Flower Show on Saturday 23 August and at the Henley Show Ploughing Match in Dunsden on 5 October so we look forward to seeing you then.

What do you think? We welcome your comments on our orchard project.

We're hoping for a good turn-out this weekend at the Dunsden Community Orchard. 50 trees have been delivered and volunteers for the big planting are very welcome, starting from 10am on Saturday 15 March (tomorrow), continuing on Sunday.

Holes were dug last weekend, but 'soil improvers' need to be barrowed, planting done and deer protection put in place. Please come along for an hour or so (or longer if you can manage it) and join the Dunsden Community Orchard planting party! 

We will have access to the village hall for tea and coffee making. Make sure you wear outdoor clothes, including wellingtons. If possible bring a fork, hammer, wire-cutters and (if you can manage it) a wheel-barrow.

All our meetings so far have been most enjoyable. Come along and be part of this exciting local project. Who knows, you may be drinking Dunsden cider sooner than you think!

For more information call David Woodward on 07802 433058.

Sometime champion ploughman Phil Dyer made light work of digging out 50 holes for tree planting at our first working party this weekend. Using a 24" tractor-powered augur he saved hours of toil, cutting through the heavy soil in no time. A group of enthusiastic volunteers backed him up by barrowing in manure and fixing gate posts.

We need even more helpers next weekend (15 March from 10am). 45 trees are arriving and they must be carefully planted. We hope as many people as possible will join us: no experience required, just turn up for an hour or so, anytime on the day.

Putting down roots

Tomorrow, Saturday 8 March is the first of several planned working parties and you are most welcome to join us. Help bring this exciting new project into being!

We have 45 trees on order and expected for the following Saturday so we must prepare the ground for them. Phillimore Farms are kindly donating something to make the ground more suitable for them and Phil Dyer and his mini-tractor-powered augur will kindly be making holes for us. Tim Coulson will be leading the workers.

You will be most welcome to join in, even for only an hour or two, either tomorrow or next Saturday! Refreshments will be available. For information on the day, please call David Woodward on 07802 433058. Wear suitable clothes and footwear.

Adopt-a-tree?

At this week's meeting in the Shoulder of Mutton we discussed a scheme to allow local people to adopt a tree - a great way to commemorate a loved one, or to involve the whole family in learning about traditional fruit-tree growing. Would you be interested? More details later.

Going for a constitutional

We now have a draft constitution, which we hope to adopt shortly. You can also read the minutes of a recent meeting here.

Please forward these details to anyone you think might be interested: see you on the day! 

Big progress is expected at our next meeting on Monday February 4th at 8pm in the village hall. Topics so far suggested include:

• schedule for development of the orchard
• funding and grant applications
• responsibilities
• planting plan
• access
• equipment storage
  

But please come along with your own suggestions. Make a note of the date: 4/2/08!

You may also be interested in a half-day practical fruit tree pruning course aimed at those with trees at home.

It is at Cross Lanes Farm in Mapledurham on Saturday January 26, Tuesday Feb 5 and Saturday Feb 9. Bookings on 0118 972 3167.

Pictured are just some of those that enjoyed the official launch of Dunsden community orchard on Sunday 25 November. With assistance from young and old, Lord Phillimore officially planted our first tree, a Blenheim Orange, kindly donated by Dr Barrie Juniper.

The Blenheim Orange is just one of many locally connected apples and cherries we hope to plant in the orchard once the site is accessible. The variety was discovered in 1740 by a cobbler living in Woodstock. He moved it to his garden and 'thousands thronged to gaze on its ruddy ripening burden; then gardeners came in spring-time to select the much coverted scions'. It was subsequently supported by the Duke of Malborough until it became one of the most popular 19th century apples. According to The new book of apples the wood was so strong that it was used to make railway cog wheels.

The launch of the community orchard was celebrated afterwards with mulled cider and mince pies in the village hall. A number of people indicated that they wanted to be part of the planning team and they will be meeting early in January. Decisions to be taken will include: where and how to create entrances to the orchard (living willow arches have been suggested); grant applications; soil quality and preparation; constitution; planting schemes/sponsorship and timings. All supporters will be welcome at the meetings. There are more photos of the launch in the album

It's  not too late for you to become involved! Just register your email address on this site or contact David Woodward or any member of Eye & Dunsden Parish Council.

A reminder of our event at 11.30 this Sunday. A Blenheim Orange will be planted on the village green to mark the start of the orchard. There will be mulled cider and mince pies in the hall afterwards, with a progress update and news of a chance to join the planning group. Please pass on to anyone that might like to get involved in creating the orchard.