What tastes great in a crumble and weighs over 250kg?
Our apple harvest, of course!
We are delighted to declare 2025 the best year ever for apple harvest! This has been because of perfect weather conditions – a dry, warm spring that protected the blossom on the trees, followed by a warm summer for the fruit to grow.
With his volunteer groups, our Community Grower, Ben, has harvested over 250kg of apples. The volunteers have been trying the different varieties of apples during their tea breaks, a real change from the limited choices that supermarkets offer. Although the farm has no record of the varieties of our apple trees, we know there are over 15 different varieties here, offering a range of colour, size and flavour.
On Thursday, 18th September, our volunteers took part in Apple Day. The Health and Social Care team used an apple press to tackle our humongous harvest, and volunteers enjoyed the chance to taste freshly pressed apple juice.
Volunteers have also enjoyed searching for the biggest apples, with one being found to be bigger than a fist – a meal in itself!
But what will we do with 250 kg of apples?
Here at Windmill Hill City Farm, our produce never goes to waste. Our apples have been used in a plethora of ways:
- The Farm Tap will be using some of these lovely apples to make cider. The results of which will be on sale next year.
- Many of our apples went to our café, and will be used in many different ways. People can buy fresh apples or apple crumble to heat up at home from the farm shop.
- Café staff and volunteers have made apple and ginger chutney, vegan apple loaf and apple crumble cake for our cafe customers to buy and enjoy.
- The Outdoor Learning Team have used the bumper crop with school groups, after-school club and their One World Gardening group. They have made apple juice and drawn the apples.
- Children in the nursery are enjoying farm apple muffins and flapjacks. They are also hoping to come and make some apple juice with the children later in the Autumn.