Abundance Events
Harvest 2019
It was an early year for all sorts of fruit in 2019, with the Transition Apple Press already in use in early August. We did a couple of September apple pickings in Northumberland Avenue and off Coley Avenue, with the apples going to Reading Town Meal. We had a couple more outings in Woodley and Earley, but have now finished for the year. So watch this space for the 2020 picking news or join us on Facebook. And if you know of trees that need to be picked then please get in touch.
2018 was generally a poor year for eating apples in Reading, although cookers seemed to crop better. We picked off Coley Avenue and some trees near the university. In 2017, the first picking were damsons in Balmore allotments in Caversham. The next was also damsons, near the Three Tuns in Woodley and then eating apples, cooking apples and greengages in Caversham. We also picked plums and apples near the Three Tuns, more eating apples in Earley and lots of dual-purpose apples at Three Mile Cross. And then more cooking apples, this time in Calcot. We spent an afternoon on Shinfield Road, picking apples in two gardens. And another on Northumberland Avenue. If you'd like to join us at any pickings, then please get in touch or reply to Facebook event posts. And if you know of any fruit or nuts that need harvesting, please tell us. In 2016, with a much smaller harvest, the main picking was in Woodley and went to the Town Meal. The 2015 first picking in a private garden near the Oxford Road in Reading was cancelled - the apples were just too high to pick. But we spent a lovely afternoon picking apples at a private garden near Castle Hill and a great Saturday picking in and around Woodley. Again, the fruit went to Reading Town Meal - some included in the dessert and some for juicing on the day. The first picking for 2014 was damsons and blackberries at Balmore allotments in Caversham on Thursday 21st August. We harvested lots of damsons some of which were used to make jam and cordial at Amersham Road Berry Picking and Bake-Off on 7th September. We then picked apples and pears for Reading Town Harvest in Thames Water car park on Wednesday 1st October and in other locations. In 2013, the first pick of the year was held on Friday 20th September, when we picked lots of apples and pears in Prospect Park. We also picked lots of great apples for juicing on Sunday 22nd September in Woodley. And we picked some tasty apples at Arcade, some lovely cookers and dessert apples in a garden in Northumberland Avenue, and more in Earley and Woodley which went to Reading Town Meal. |