Apple Picking and Pressing Volunteer Week 2023
Dates:
5th - 9th October 2023
(you can come to any or all of the days)
Facilitators:
Duration:
5 day residential volunteer week. Arrive after 10am on 1st day, leave by 5pm on last day
Apple Picking and Pressing Volunteer Week Description
We are pleased to announce that our annual Apple Picking and Pressing volunteer week will be the 5th - 9th October 2023, with arrivals on the 5th, picking 5th - 7th and pressing on the 8th and 9th. This week gives us a chance to share our beautiful home with friends, previous visitors and people interested to see what we do, whilst getting on with the important job of getting our apple and pear harvest in and processing it, along with any autumnal maintenance jobs needing to be done, which we need your help with. We will start with harvesting, followed by juicing.
Come and enjoy hanging out at Applewood for as many days as you like, nothing to do but pick apples (and pears) ready to do juicing on the Sunday and Monday. Come and join in - plenty of space for camping, bring food to share. Lots of (last year's) cider & juice to drink & take home! This event will be family friendly.
We have limited places, so If you would like to come please contact Emma at applewoodcourses@yahoo.com .
Applewood Permaculture Centre is a 20 acre smallholding. Looby and Chris are lucky to have this as their family home since July 2016, with their 2 daughters, as well as a training centre. There are various teaching spaces, from heated yurt and barn space to outdoor marquee and open air. There are many diverse habitats here already; we have woodland, orchard, pasture, pool and gardens. Applewood is a tranquil sanctuary for wildlife and people alike. We are blessed with night times filled with owl hoots and immense starry skies that you’ll get to enjoy round an outside fire.
Our volunteer week is open to anyone who would like to come and help us with our harvesting, maintenance and improvement jobs on our land. You don't need to be highly skilled in practical jobs and we do want lots of enthusiasm and willingness to learn new skills. As well as some construction projects, we will also be gardening and making food to share, so there will be many ways to join in to accommodate all abilities.
Families
We are very happy for families to come along and take part in the work week. Both our children Teya and Shanti have always joined in when they can. We ask that each person over 18 completes the booking form and you can add any under 18's to your own form. You will of course be responsible for your children at all times.
Accessibility
We want to make our events accessible for people with different mobility needs and this is currently quite challenging because of the steepness of many areas on the land. However we are willing to work with people to try and find solutions so please do get in contact to discuss options.
A wonderful experience from start to finish. Learnt loads, worked hard and reconnected with Chris and his lovely family - Mark
Had a super time, really enjoyed the experience of it all. Met some lovely people as well.
Thank you Chris and Looby for welcoming us in and sharing stories, laughter and crumbles with us! It's been an absolute pleasure - Adam
I was really looking forward to this and it exceeded all expectations. So great to be back - Neil
Logistics
Facilitators & Venue
Chris lives at Applewood with his partner Looby and children Shanti and Teya. He has taught permaculture in the UK, Europe, Nepal, India, U.S.A. and Mexico. He is also a UK assessment level tutor for apprentices working towards their diploma in applied permaculture design with the Permaculture Association Britain.
As well as time spent at Applewood hosting and teaching courses and gardening on the land here, Looby leads a productive career as a pioneer of permaculture and Cultural Emergnece. Looby is author of People and Permaculture, 7 Ways to Think Differently and Strands of Infinity. People and Permaculture Is the first book globally to translate the use of permaculture principles and design for people based systems, widening the definition of permaculture and making it relevant and accessible to all. She is creator of the Design Web, a holistic design framework that has been used thousands of times globally for all sorts of personal and social designs.
Looby has been chair of the Permaculture Association Britain and is a senior diploma tutor.
The Venue
Applewood is a 20 acre smallholding, Waterloo Farm, recently acquired in the beautiful hills of North Herefordshire. Here, the owners, Designed Visions partners Chris Evans and Looby Macnamara, are developing a permaculture demonstration and training centre. We feel that with permaculture, you need to see it to believe it, and then need to be able to learn it, and then acquire the resources (seeds, plants, books, friends and networks) to do it!
The site includes woods, pasture, a lake, kitchen garden and an orchard of heritage apples. A converted barn and outbuildings provide indoor accommodation and the grounds a peaceful campsite.
For regular updates and photos see our facebook page