Orchards Live

Devon has lost the majority of its orchards since the Second World War.

Traditional standard orchards are valuable because of their beauty, history, wildlife and rich variety of local apples.

Since 1991 orchard enthusiasts in the northern half of Devon, (Save our Orchards which has become Orchards Live), have been arresting this decline with real achievements:

• Running approximately one hundred training events on orchard restoration, orchard establishment, orchard management, pruning, grafting, cider and juice making.
• Establishing annual Apple Day with Royal Horticultural Society at Rosemoor.
• Organising informal orchard walks, social events and networking opportunities.
• Production of first recent list of Devon Apples, complemented by photographs.
• Location of old apple varieties for propagation.
• Working with people of Landkey to establish the first new mazzard green for a century.
• Working with a private landowner to establish a Demonstration Orchard.
• Assisting Devon’s lieutenancy in arrangements for Golden Jubilee present to HM the Queen of a Devon orchard, accompanied by children’s pictures.
• Acquiring cider and juice making kit for members to use.

Orchards Live is part of the charitable activities of the Dartington North Devon Trust. We have a voluntary committee which meets bi-monthly. Our two hundred members pay a modest annual subscription.