Transition Tynedale has funded and planted two orchards for the community, one in Acomb First School field in 2016, and one in Tyne Green Country Park near Enna’s Café parking area, in 2018 [location here https://goo.gl/maps/6uQBMnDN2wpp4jSv9 ]
We gained great inspiration and knowledge for getting started, from attending the 2015 Fruit on the Tyne conference organised by WEA North East Green Branch:
https://www.wea.org.uk/news-events/blogs/our-story-wea-north-east-green-branch
Tom Martin of Wylam Nurseries who supplied all trees gave us advice and demonstrations on planting technique.:
At Acomb First School field 16 trees were planted by lots of volunteers of all ages – apple varieties include: Ashmead’s Kernel, Newton Wonder, Ellison’s Orange, Katy, Red Sentinel, Sunset, Arthur Turner, Blenheim Orange, with a Golden Hornet Crab Apple plus an Opal Plum, and Reine Claude de Bavay Greengage. A similar mix of 13 trees were planted at Tyne Green, with invaluable help from volunteers from the Hexham Lions Club charity who also arranged for stone boulders to be placed in advance as a protective edge from the car park. The Lions have also had a durable sign made to mark the Tyne Green planting, it will be put in place in spring 2021.
Our aim is to continue seeking out suitable sites for further fruit tree planting, and we collaborate with Hexham Space for Nature on this.
In winter we carry out pruning work on the apple trees, summer pruning for the plums.
Transition Tynedale organise an apple pressing stall at the Farmers Market in Hexham each October. Anyone with a glut of apples is encouraged to donate them, and the resulting fresh juice is given away on the day. The press is hand built by Pat Turner, and is offered for use by other groups, the aim being to make best use of local produce.
Transition Tynedale 