Wassail

Wassail from the Old English “waes hael”, meaning “be well” traditionally celebrated on January 17th, Old Twelfth Night.  It is a time to encourage a good crop for the coming year.

Last year started so well with the planting of a community orchard in Hatch End Playing Fields.  However, the rain in spring and summer meant hathat fruit trees were not pollinated and the cropping was down significantly. Trees that had been heavy laden in previous years were empty in 2012!  However, some people had apples and turned up to the Apple Day in October to press their fruit and taste the juice.

Papillon Montessori pre‐school planted the first tree and have kept a watchful eye on the orchard during the year. The final trees were planted on a Good Friday morning. There were new contributions to the Apple Day from Amma’s Chutneys, Harrow Beekepers and Merrydowners Morris providing extra interest to Miriam’s Munchies, Harrow Nature Conservation Forum, Helenka’s guided tours of Lady Gilbert’s Orchard and stories about apples narrated by Claudia Mernick and Pippa Reid.  Once again it was good to see Matt Biggs and have his cheery
guidance.

hoi polloi made contact with the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore which used to have 5 orchards and the remnants are very neglected, but some apples were gathered for cider making.  This will supplement the cider produced from the apples pressed at the Duck Pond Market.

The Community Orchard in October.

The final activity of the year: producing graftings from a 150 year old tree that had fallen in Pinner.

hoi polloi