THE NINTH YEAR OF THE BERE APPLE FEST!
Free Fun for all the Family!
Some say there’s a local legend that tells that any maiden who sees 15 different types of apple before Michaelmas shall be gifted with a complexion like a peach, the wisdom of Solomon and be able to explain clearly the offside rule. It is not on record whether this is true, but anyone visiting the famous Bere Apple Fest will certainly be able to see more than 15 types of apple! This year’s event, organised as usual by the Tavy & Tamar Apple Group, will take place in and around Bere Ferrers Church Hall, Bere Ferrers, Devon, on Saturday 8th October from 1.30pm until 5pm.
The Apple Fest will be opened by a guest celebrity at 1.45pm. The Apple Fest once again features a host of interesting guest experts, demonstrations, competitions and other apple-related items. Visitors are welcome to bring along their apples and turn them into juice (don’t forget to bring a clean container to take the juice home in!).
Apple products will be on sale on the W.I. stall and refreshments will be available. The popular Apple Pie Baking competition returns again, with the promise of fabulous prizes. There are two classes: one for adults and young people over 12 and another for children. In the adult class, entrants will bake their pie of their choice, before the event. The children’s classes are for 5-8 years and 9-11 years to bake an apple pie of their choice.
A number of competitions will be run for children at the Apple Fest, such as old favourites, the longest apple peel and a competition called Animals Made From Apples, with entries made at home and brought to the Fest.
To help the apple theme along, there will be a competition for all ages - entrants will be invited to compose a poem about apples. Entry forms for the Apple Pie Baking competition and the Poetry competition are available from the usual outlets and here. There will be a small fee for entry to both competitions.
Last year the Group introduced a new competition – the Apple Shy; this proved very popular and it will return this year.
As usual, Endsleigh Nurseries at Milton Abbot will be on hand to give advice about purchasing fruit trees and will have a range of trees on display and for sale.
This year we welcome back beekeepers Ross and Suzy Dyter to the Apple Fest. They will advise on having bees in your orchard or garden. An expert will also be on hand to talk about rural crafts.
Another popular feature, particularly for those interested in the liquid side of apple production, is apple crushing. A large team will be involved in pressing apples throughout the afternoon; for a small contribution, visitors are invited to bring clean apples to the Fest, together with suitable clean containers, preferably screw top glass bottles, for taking the juice home.
For apple growers, or potential growers, there will be an advice centre to answer all queries, manned by members of the Tavy & Tamar Apple Group. Charles Staniland will carry out the ever-popular practical pruning demonstrations in an adjacent apple orchard. The ancient techniques of grafting will be demonstrated, as will apple identification. Other experts will be available to discuss apple tree disease problems.
Some members of the famous Tavy Tars will provide the odd musical interlude. The Tavy & Tamar Apple Group are delighted to announce that Dartmoor Border Morris Men will be showing their dancing skills during the afternoon.
The Apple Fest is very popular and attracts large crowds and it has been blessed with good weather over the years. Anyone intending to come to the Fest is encouraged to get there early, as parking is very limited! The Fest is timed to coincide with trains to and from Bere Ferrers station on the picturesque Tamar Valley Line.
The village community shop and café will be open from 10am until noon; the Olde Plough Inn is just down the road for lunch, so why not make it a day out in pleasant surroundings!
Commercial sellers are welcome and a limited number of stalls are available for hire. Contact Brian Lamb on 01822 841309 for more details. Events may change due to circumstances beyond our control.