The Swift Tower at the orchard is now home to at least three nesting pairs of swifts. These marvellous birds, that weigh the same as a Creme Egg, have travelled all the way from Africa to nest here. The Swift Tower is designed to play a recording of the swift’s cries, in order to entice them in. Apparently no swift likes to be the first swift to make a nest in a particular spot, so you have to fool them that the nest tower is already popular. Whatever the swift psychology, it’s worked. And we are delighted to welcome them.

Juvenile swifts. Photo by Eric Kaiser, at the Swift Conservation Trust, who built the tower for us.

Chris and the new noticeboard

As you probably know, Trumpington Community Orchard is managed by a very small core team of volunteers, with many other supporters helping out with maintenance and other activities (when we are allowed to have any). So we are pleased to welcome Chris Thane, who has lived close to the orchard for fifteen years, and has recently brought his skills to us in renovating our noticeboard and gate, and helping with our maintenance sessions. Chris hopes to add more information about our apple varieties to engage the passers-by going to the guided busway and new houses. Thanks to Chris and all our supporters for everything you do.

We were lucky enough recently to make use of a drone, to get a really unusual view of our orchard and all its blossom. Here’s a little taste of what a drone can do. If you’ve ever wondered what the swifts see on their way from the swift tower, here it is.

In these strange lockdown times, it is the small things that matter most. The view from a window, or the things we see when we are allowed to be outside. Perhaps this daily walk will become a habit, when things return to whatever version of ‘normal’ we might like. I can’t walk in the orchard – I am with family in Norfolk, but whether I am there or not the trees will get on with being trees. The blossom will open, even if nobody sees it. (Very Zen, I know). But I hope that you can get to see the orchard, and sniff the blossom, and look at the flowers and the insects. Spring is not cancelled, it’s all out there. So here are my favourite photos from springs gone by, just to remind you.
The practical bit – the orchard is open access, but please observe the social distancing guidelines if anyone else is in the space. Do not picnic or meet in groups. Please, as always, tidy up and take your rubbish home.

blossom

blossom

On Sunday 12 January 2020, we greeted the trees with music, song and noise. We gave each tree a libation of  apple juice, and we hung toast in the branches. We danced in a circle. All of these activities are traditional ways of saying ‘Wassail’ – good health – to the orchard. And Wassailing  also happens to be an excellent way of keeping warm and making friends in the dark days of winter.  We hope that the trees appreciate our efforts and will reward us with a good harvest this year.  A massive thank you to everyone who turned up and put so much goodwill into it all, and especially to everyone who put so much into our Donations Pot.

Circle dance

Circle dance

It’s official – Trumpington has its very own apple. The Trumpington Topsy apple variety was grown from a pip and is now a fruiting tree, within the chicken plots opposite the orchard. The tree and the apples were assessed by a panel of experts, and its DNA was compared to others in the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale. From all that, the experts said that the seedling was unique, not comparible to any other variety, and could have its own name. And so, we are proud to present – Trumpington Topsy.
Trumpington Topsy is a large, flat-round apple, mainly yellow with a red blush and red streaking. When picked straight from the tree it is good as a cooking apple, but it will sweeten up when stored and becomes a good dessert apple, although it does not keep too long. So far it is a good healthy tree, and we hope to take grafts from it so that we can bring on more trees in years to come.