The newly planted grafted trees have taken well. With the blossom mostly finished, it's clear that there is an enormous amount of fruit on most trees. We're going to need a big "June drop" to prevent branches from snapping off. I suspect we'll need to manually thin lots of fruit.

Well done UKHospitality for highlighting the wreckage that the Defra UK packaging tax will cause to all making things and needing packaging. Loony policy. ukhospitality.org.uk/packaging-tax-…

Tomorrow, you could enjoy a top cidery day. There is a Somerset Cider Fayre Westcombe Dairy with some high-quality cider on offer, great food, and even beer if you prefer. Starting at 11.

This is grim reading. The impact of many cost rises, including National Insurance and minimum wage, will be the tipping point for many. Then they won't be paying those taxes or employing people which will add to the Government burden and people in despair. ukhospitality.org.uk/one-third-of-h…

I understand why this is happening. If UK multiple retailers paid sustainable prices we wouldn't need to see exports because of so many (cheaper) apples being imported! The UK’s confectionary market has twice the income of home-grown fruit and veg! UK worker £100/day, Moroco £7!

We'll be having an Open Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, part of #OpenFarmSunday. 10 to 8 both days at Apple HQ, Shepton Montague, BA9 8JW. Displays of rescued birds of prey with Pitcombe Rock Falconry. Tractor display. Caribbean food both days. Burgeoning 🍎 crops! #somersethour

Hello #somersethour. Are you up for a very special challenge? Pieces of a meaningful arts project need carrying up Glastonbury Tor on June 18th. More information is attached. Can you help? Let’s spread the word! #somerset

Fab marketing from Cornish Orchards - 'Uncover The Truth About Cider'. A lie detector test compares Cornish Orchards (made from freshly pressed apple juice) to mainstream brands from apple juice concentrate with added aroma, flavour and other additives. vimeo.com/1088782062?sha…

June "drop" didn't happen......enough. This tree has some branches which are hanging down - with extreme weight of apples, needed many taken off - the removed ones are in pic 3. Now I hope the remainder will all become large!

It is time to pull all the ragwort plants. The plant contains toxins called pyrrolizidine alkaloids. These, in sufficient quantities, can cause liver poisoning in horses and livestock. It is a cumulative poison that eventually leads to the rapid onset of symptoms before death.

Imagine that wine being sold when diluted by 50% with water! The EU think it's ok for cider to be only 50% cider - the rest as water. But UK rules allow cider to be sold with as little as 35% cider! It may not even be UK produced but UK labelled! cider-review.com/2025/05/08/edi…

As my fellow Welshman sang “it’s not unusual….” Temperatures for each summer since 1976, so 50 years: 1976 – 35.9°C – July 1990 – 37.1°C – August 1995 – 35.2°C – August 2003 – 38.5°C – August 2006 – 36.5°C – July 2013 – 34.1°C – August 2015 – 36.7°C – July 2018 –

4.6 million tonnes of the food that goes to waste each year is still edible That’s enough for ten billion meals. FareShare South West will help take any surplus and ensure it gets to people who need it. faresharesouthwest.org.uk/news/

The Frome Festival starts tomorrow… a wonderful 10 day celebration of the arts & so much to get involved with. @somersetcool has been chatting with Festival Director, Adam Laughton, to bring you more about what’s in store! Listen here: besomerset.com/post/frome-fes… #somerset

I'm sure I have seen some sunburnt apples already! Sunburn necrosis can occur when the fruit reaches temperature above 52°C for more than 10 minutes. Luckily mine are all for juicing but for those storing them it will be challenging. freshknowledge.eu/en/longreads/s…

We have 2 Beauty of Bath apple trees. It's a very early variety, but this is ridiculously early! I've always sacrificed them to the wasps, which seems to satisfy them, & they then (mostly) disappear. It makes me curious (and uncertain/concerned) about how the season will unfold.

Penybanc Double Decker Bus Llandysul, West Wales. Renovated to provide a unique holiday experience, the 1964 Leyland Titan is equipped for up to two couples plus space for a travel cot ceridwencentre.co.uk/the-bus/ organicholidays.com/at/3493.htm facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10…

NO ORGANIC MILK? You might’ve seen it; Pret a Manger have pulled organic milk from some stores. Not because they wanted to, but because their supplier hasn’t enough to go round. That’s not a supply chain hiccup - it’s a warning light. The truth is, there is an organic milk