ETHOS

OUR ETHOS

What started out as a project to “Save an Old Orchard” has ended up  with  26  acres  of  commercial   orcharding   containing  a  new Museum

of Cider and Cider Related Apple Tree Varieties. What is more, these are not just cordons or bush trees, but full half standards that will grow into a “proper” orchard. Hereford orchards are difficult to find to buy at a sensible price. Most traditional orchards were on land attached to a farmhouse and one had the latter in

Pigs Nose

order to obtain the former. Worse still, the orchard was often sold off as building land or for horse paddocks. Our Top Orchard was one of the very few on the market that progressed as far as an advertisement in the Hereford Times. This was not a traditional orchard, but the next best thing – a 1960s commercial orchard of half standard trees. Ironically, within the 20 acres of orcharding that lay on the other side of the fence, was a 2.5 acre traditional orchard of standard trees planted in the 1930s. Usually farmers would prefer to have all their teeth extracted without anaesthetic than part with an inch of land but, fortuitously, neighbouring farmer Peter Davies MBE agreed to a sale.

Blossom in Old Orchard

It is said that cider, or cider, has been in Britain since Roman times. If so, in all those 2000 or so years, it appears that nobody has set up a lasting museum of cider apple varieties. Cider has made the fortunes of many men and dynastic families. Dozens of academic researchers have made their reputations from the study of the apple tree and its fruit – and they still aspire to do so. But nobody has been unselfish enough to put some of their assets a side to protect varieties of  that fruit from extinction. 

Consequently, many old and once famous varieties of cider  apples  cannot be found any longer – they are lost forever. Many more  were on the verge of disappearing, gasping in a lonely and half-forgotten orchard waiting to be summarily swept away in the vanguard of yet another housing conurbation.

It is interesting that a journalist occasionally cottons on to lost varieties of apple or pear or plum and writes a lament in a week-end supplement. Interest surges and then dissipates just as abruptly and everyone, including the journalist, moves on and nothing is achieved.

The TIDNOR WOOD ORCHARD TRUST and its parent, TIDNOR WOOD ORCHARDS CIC, have set out to resolve that position and protect into perpetuity all the varieties of UK, Channel Islands and Eire cider apples that can still be found. We even have a toe-hold in France where we have purchased land in Calvados, Normandie, and set up

Museum Orchard (New Trees)

LES VERGER TALLEVENDE, the start of a French Collection.

Rather than preserve our trees as space-saving dwarf or bush specimens, we have planted our Museum Orchard full of half standard trees. On one hand, these trees will grow up capable of rewarding our foresight by providing a crop that we can continue to sell and thereby maintain the collection. On the other hand, these are sizeable trees that will give the true ambience of an orchard which should continue to be a joy and an inspiration to future generations.

By turning to organic methods of management, converting to Nature Reserve status and eschewing grants and subsidies, we have set a difficult course for our enterprise. This is a true application of “sustainability”.

It would be plainer sailing if we restricted ourselves to just our core activity of growing cider apples for the cider maker. Instead we have aspirations to share our land and resources with the community, especially school children, and have them visit us to see our rare trees and enjoy demonstrations of cider being made as their great-grandfathers would have known. We want to be an educational centre for academic research whether it be for our Museum or for a Nature Reserve or as an

Cider House and Mill

example of sustainable land management.

As a COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY we hope to attract entrepreneurial endeavour; people who might use our assets to develop their own business or join us to pursue a business opportunity under our umbrella. This will be a huge challenge for us but it could ensure our survival. Crucial to our immediate state of sustainability is our UNIQUE TREE SPONSORSHIP PROGRAMME – A TREE FOR LIFE.

We have about 70 tree sponsors so far. I would say that these are enlightened and unselfish people wouldn’t I? I believe that too.

The price of a tree sponsorship is hardly more than a meal out for two at a good restaurant or a full tank of petrol. Yet for £70 (2008 price), we offer the sponsorship of a uniquely named tree in our Museum Orchard for the life of that tree. With it goes life membership of the TIDNOR WOOD ORCHARD TRUST, no fees but invitations to our various Open Days and other activities.

The sponsorship money helps, but of far more importance to us is the potential of obtaining access to our sponsors’ skills and resources at some time in the future.

Museums are often seen as inward-looking and as dusty as their exhibits. Our core is a vibrant, living organism and we have no intention of being caught out that way. We are not a fuddy-duddy, set in stone, set of “no change” yesterday’s ideas.

What we will always need is new blood, new ideas, new energy and challengers to take over the helm.

Cider House