Orchard News for July

 

 

We have managed to get all four of our sites accepted as having achieved the Green Flag standard so The Upper Orchid Field, Community Orchard, Elizabethan Orchard and now the Welsh Orchard will be proudly flying their Green Flag pennants. To put this achievement in context we are the only village in the county to have a Community Green Flag the others being 3 in Barry and 2 in Cowbridge. We have more than towns like Merthyr and Bridgend and Newport has none. This is down to the support of the Vale of Glamorgan Council who own two of the sites, the Reader family who own and help us to look after the other two; the members of the Wildlife Group who maintain the sites and those of you who visit and respect them. We are aiming for 5 next year.

Year 3 children from Wenvoe Primary School came to the Community Orchard on a nature ramble. They hunted for insects and wildlife in the grasses and the pond and spotted a number of different species. They also looked at the bee hotel and learnt about how important these kind of wildlife habitats are for insects, birds and small mammals. The children took a few apples and some herbs back to the classroom to try, to see how the apples are different from the ones they get in the supermarket. They also looked at the pumpkins which are growing well, ready for them to pick for Halloween.

We mentioned the Rooster challenge a few months back where you follow a set of 5 clues which can be found on the noticeboards on the Upper Orchid Field, Community Orchard, Elizabethan Orchard, Goldsland Farm and Wild Orchard. The challenge has been completed so the first prize has been awarded but a runner-up prize is still on offer so why not have a go. Next correct entry gets £10 in garden vouchers.

There is quite a bit of fruit coming along in the orchards. The photo shows a still young apple tree but with over 100 fruit on it. It is an adopted Welsh apple tree known as Afal Coch Cynnar, originally Devonshire Quarrenden. This was first introduced in 1676, is very good for bees and other insects and tastes of strawberries.