Growing Newbury Green’s Apple Day enjoys a sweet success at market place

The warm, autumnal scents of apples, cakes and other sweet treats filled the market place at the weekend.

Newbury’s eleventh apple day took over the town allowing people to taste, learn about and even press apples.

Despite this year’s cold weather and rainy spell affecting apple tree growth, hundreds turned out to grab a slice of the fun.

A dedicated team from Growing Newbury Green were around to make sure nothing went pear shaped and apple experts were on hand to teach people all about the fruit from seed to supermarket.

One of the organisers Blake Ludwig said the event was a success and commented on the importance of teaching children where their food comes from.

He said: “We help them chop apples, use the scratter and use the apple press.

“The kids like doing it, they like tasting the apple juice that comes out.

“They make the connection between apples and apple juice.

“People are really happy to bring their apples and see it be made into juice.”

This year they made 150 litres of fresh juice and sold 30 bottles of pasteurised juice.

There were vegetable, juice and bakery stalls scattered around the market place – Chelsea buns were favourites this year.

Mr Ludwig highlighted the importance on events like this for both the community and the environment.

“It is important to support local businesses.

“There is also a resurgence of people planting and there is a big push to plant community orchards.

“I like the act of volunteerism and the sense of community, it feels uplifting.

“There is just so much heart.”