Happy Apple Day!
Today, Comrie Community Orchard celebrated its annual apple harvest with a festival featuring local artisanal makers and their produce, activities for families – and a whole lot of apples!
In this language school blog, we’re going to share the sights, smells and tastes of this small, local festival which celebrates a community orchard, fresh, organic local produce and the community itself.
At our English language school, we’re all about encounters with people – our Meet the Makers Immersion English programme is based on it!
About Our Immersion English Experiences
We believe that above a beginner level, English immersion experiences are just the best way to get you to improve your English language skills. Get out of the classroom and take part in real-life conversations and begin discovering your tue voice in English.
A Successful Community Garden
Apple Day is a chance to meet the volunteers who have been keeping the orchard all year round.
Scottish Cultural Food Festival
Apple Day is a harvest festival.
The local community are invited to taste and buy many of the apple varieties grown (there are 40 varieties on-site) and to enjoy the delicious fresh apple juice being squeezed before you.
(Or if you are under 5, go toffee-apple-bonkers).
It’s the sort of event that took place across the whole of the UK 60+ years ago, but changing food culture, shopping habits and lifestyles have all but erased traditions like this one.
(NB: The churches calendar still celebrates Harvest Festivals).
Food Culture is Changing
There is growing recognition that actually seeing the source of your food builds respect, both for food and the natural environment.
Across Scotland and the UK, communities are banding together to rebuild lost orchards, community ‘greens’ and communal food larders.
Comrie has a particularly good spirit of community activism for the environment and for community projects.
Cultybraggan, the site of the community orchard itself is a repurposed WW2 POW camp that now sees new life as a micro-enterprise hub.
“Across Scotland and the UK, communities are banding together to rebuild lost orchards, community ‘greens’ and communal food larders.”
Ruth, 2019
How the Orchard is Managed
Meet the Makers English Immersion
It’s no wonder Perthshire is known as the Larder of Scotland!
Woodcraft activity for the children with local photographer Lynn McGregor in the foreground.
Jenny from Perthshire Honey gave us a demo of a hive
Find out more about Comrie Community Orchard here.
Also:
Tomnah’a Market Garden here.
Visiting Perth in Scotland? You are in for a treat! Find more about local food and drink here.
If you have enjoyed visiting Comrie Apple Festival with us, you might also like to read how our Scottish Language School Was Inspired by an Pie!
