The Tavy & Tamar Apple Group celebrated its 21 years of existence by planting 21 apple trees in Bere Ferrers Recreation Field on Saturday.

Members and local Scouts planted the mini orchard under the supervision of group member Peter Nicholson.

Half of the trees were grown and given by Richard Peden, with the rest being supplied by Endsleigh Nurseries of Milton Abbot. They feature mainly Tamar Valley varieties that have been grafted from local stock.

The Tavy & Tamar Apple Group is based on the Bere Peninsula, which was a prolific area for fruit production in the last century, but its wide membership covers West Devon and East Cornwall. It originated in an event in the village when six founder members held an Apple Show as part of a craft fair. This has become the well-known annual Bere Apple Fest.

The group has over the years developed services for members and has acquired a vast amount of machinery to press apples and pasteurise the juice for long term storage. It also supplies advice on everything apple-related, and organises courses including grafting, producing cider and apple tree pruning. The first course after lockdown is on Saturday, January 22, 2022 in an orchard outside Bere Ferrers.

The group also organises the Bere Ferrers Wassailing Ceremony each January, with singing, music and cider.

Peter Crozier, Chair of the apple group, said, ‘The people can enjoy the trees in blossom in the spring and apples in the autumn.’