Orchards Live - saving orchards in North Devon and wider Exmoor

About Us

Devon has lost most of its traditional orchards of large ‘standard’ trees - valuable because of their beauty, history, wildlife and rich variety of local apples.  Since 1991 orchard enthusiasts in the northern half of Devon, Save Our Orchards which became Orchards Live in 2002, have been reversing this decline with real achievements:

*Running over 100 training events on all aspects of orchard restoration, establishment, management and production.
*Establishing Annual Apple Day at Rosemoor (with RHS) and Apple Fair at South Molton.
*Organising informal walks, social events and networking opportunities.
*Locating old fruit varieties for propagation as well as listing and photographing them.
*Working with people of Landkey to establish first new mazzard green for a century.
*Establishing a Demonstration Orchard with a local landowner.
*Acquiring cider and juice making kit and other equipment for members to use.Orchards Live is part of the charitable activities of the Dartington North Devon Charitable Trust (No 1142258).  Its voluntary committee meets bi-monthly. Our 250 members pay a modest annual subscription. 

Orchards Live's current activities are:
*Courses, talks and visits so that in a two year cycle all aspects of ‘standard’ orchard management are covered.
* Attendance at promotional events.
*Development of our website www.devon-apples.co.uk as the county-wide source of technical information and Devon’s Pomona listing all locally-grown apple varieties.
*Strengthening links with Exmoor National Park and its fringes.
*Acquisition of equipment for members to use.   
*In different ways ensuring that orchard products find markets and are used well.
*Working with other bodies in the region to encourage orchards.
 

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Courses updated December 2012

Copyright © 2008 Dartington North Devon Trust