Apple Day

About Apple Day

You're invited to come with us on our Apple Day and celebrate one of the most underrated fruits; the humble apple! Click here for updates on facebook

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Apple day: what is it?

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Southampton has its fair share of apple trees: gardens, allotments, parks and green spaces, dotted all over the city. There's so many varieties, sweet crispy, dry, floral, and juicy. Sadly many of these go to waste each year, a recent study said apples are one of the most commonly wasted food items. Such a shame. Especially when there's many different ways to keep apples. Apple butter, apple rings, apple sauce, and the big winner, and of course apple juice.  

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It is always a joy to watch people drink the freshest apple juice there is. There's nothing quite like like it in the shops, this stuff is delicious. It tastes even better when you've helped make it! We provide the space, the equipment and we spend a month collecting apples so you also have them to press. 

If you have any spare apples, please them along!

Please bring something with you like a squash bottle as you'll need containers to take the juice home.

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Apple expert Chris Bird from Sparsholt College and his team will be joining us. They'll bring samples from the College Fruit collection with them. Including their National Plant Collection of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Apples.

If you have an apple tree in your garden, and would like to know what type of apple it is, they can help you ID it! Just bring your apples with you and find out! Last year we had some rare varieties identified from local gardens. This will help ensure they survive for future generations. 

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At 12:00 we will run a guided foraging walk that will take in the nature reserve, and collect as many apples as we can. We will talk about the richness and diversity of landscape, ecology and culture too. And make sure everyone understands the law and foraging code. 

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We will be selling hot and cold refreshments (including mulled apple juice) and some food. We will even give you the recipe for our favourite pumpkin and apple soup (vegan) if you ask nicely!

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If you are after some autumn inspiration, we will also be selling pumpkins and squashes for both display and eating.