Volunteers from Pitlochry Garden Share are putting the final preparations in place for the annual Apple Day event in the Highland Perthshire town.
The popular event takes place this year on Sunday, October 11th at the Moulin Hall and provides an opportunity for local residents to turn their homegrown apples into tasty juice.
As well as apple pressing, there will be a range of other attractions – including demonstrations of hand-spinning, crochet and nalbinding, children’s activities and wreath-making – to enjoy.
Plants, jams, crafts and pre-bottled juice will be available to purchase and there will also be homemade soup, cakes and hot drinks.
Pitlochry Garden Share, which is a Pitlochry Community Action Trust core project, is a community food growing organisation that aims to reduce food bills and food waste, and encourage the growing of fruit and vegetables locally in a way that enhances biodiversity.
One of the volunteers with Pitlochry Garden Share, Anna Stokes, encouraged local people to bring along apples from their gardens to the event.
She said: “This year has been great for apples with a good harvest, so we’re looking forward to another busy apple pressing day!
“Our volunteers have been busy picking surplus fruit around Pitlochry and Blair Atholl this autumn, and we will have some pre-bottled apple juice as well as some preserves made with the fruit available to purchase on the day.
“If you have some apples that you would like to make juice from, then please come along on Sunday – we’ll be happy to help!”
Apple Day is one of a number of activities that Pitlochry Garden Share is involved in delivering as part of ongoing efforts to raise awareness of the project. These include welcoming volunteers at the Moulin Community Garden, workshops on different aspects of food growing, attending events such as Pitlochry Highland Games and Pitlochry Market, children’s activities in the dedicated children’s garden, working with local schools and youth groups such as the Scouts on educational projects, and facilitating private garden shares.
Supporting and developing community growing was highlighted as something local people wanted as part of the community action plan consultation exercise carried out in 2021.
Pitlochry Garden Share volunteers support efforts in the community to reduce food bills locally and contribute to tackling the ongoing cost of living crisis by growing food with the local community, sharing land, work, tools, knowledge and produce.
The project also provides a safe place for people of all ages to improve their physical and mental health and learn new skills in a welcoming, relaxing environment.
Apple Day runs from 11.30am to 2.30pm with the last pressing at 2pm. Please bring along clean bottles to take your juice home in.
The event is free to attend but donations are appreciated. All proceeds go towards the ongoing costs of running Pitlochry Garden Share and the Moulin Community Garden, including purchasing essential supplies and running other events and workshops.
To find out more about Pitlochry Garden Share, including the latest news and updates and how you can get involved, see the website www.pitlochrygardenshare.org or follow the ‘Pitlochry Garden Share’ Facebook page. Alternatively, email pitlochrygardenshare@gmail.com
