Hoar Cross Cider

This year was our first attempt at Summer Pruning. Taking out new growth in the summer increases the light available to developing fruit, leading to improved colour, sugar content, and greater size.

Opening up the canopy also improves air circulation and deters pests and disease which thrives in sheltered conditions. It also reduces the amount of water the tree needs, hopefully directing water taken up by the roots into the fruit rather than surplus vegetative growth.

Only the tips of the new growth were removed. This will encourage the production of sideshoots and the formation of short fruiting spurs, leading to greater yield next year.

‘June drop’ will often occur to remove small and redundant apples. However, where the bunch of apples extended to about 7 apples, and they all appeared securely attached, a sharp pair of secateurs was used to remove 2-3 small apples. This will allow the remaining fruit to expand. Its all about quality not quantity!

The race for this year’s blossom has started. First out was the Dabinett, followed by Yarlington, then Kingston Black and then the Harry Masters Jersey. The Pigs Snout are only just coming out, with the start of signs of buds. However with the wet start to spring, all the trees are all looking healthy and are laden with blossom and buds. We just need the help of our insect friends to set the fruit………………it’s all a promising start.

This is the hard bit! With 160 trees to prune by hand, you just have to take it in small batches. We have been dodging the frosts and snow! and have just 57 trees left to prune. The good news is the trees all look healthy and are producing lovely flower buds. The last dump of snow and recent rain has soaked the ground, which is very welcome, as it has been yet another dry period.

We had a few gaps in the orchard, and have just planted out 5 “Merryweather” Damson trees and a few Black Current bushes. Hopefully we will see some blossom this year, and provide an alternative food site for visiting bees.

A huge thanks to all our customers, who purchased ALL our stock in 2022. We are completely sold out. It says a lot!!

Our latest batch of Cider Brandy should be ready by the summer, so we will see you again at the Maker’s Market from the autumn onwards. See you in 2023!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our customers!

What a great start to our commercial season! Sales of the large 35cl bottles as well as the small 5cl “stocking filler” bottles were eagerly purchased, allowing some to commence their Christmas shopping early. Indeed the new contemporary glasses “engraved” with Spirit of Staffordshire ® were purchased to complement this vintage English Cider Brandy.

Excellent sales performance from Chris, boosted by the smart new corporate uniforms, supplied by Nick Smith of Box and Beyond Ltd, Uttoxeter. Comfortable, smart, warm and windproof jackets, with detailed embroidery of our company logo.

The next sales opportunity is at the Stone Street Market on Sunday 20th November 2022. See you there, before stock runs out!!

We are pleased and relieved with the harvest we have for 2022, following the extremely dry conditions this summer. We had been watering the trees just to keep them alive, so any harvest was a bonus!

And then this is what we inflict on our friends! …….harvesting over 3 days……….. It did not take Kim (and Tilly!) long to get her eye in and only select the clean and unblemished apples. Kim was a great help, with nearly 900kg of fruit picked. Well done.!

Our apple juice yield this year is only in the low 60% range. This is testament to the small and dry apples. It was the Pig Snout apples which really “saved the day” and for some reason, their yield was productive in quantity and in juice extracted.

Regardless of quantity, the apple juice was sweet and full of flavour. So fingers crossed for good cider and then great Cider Brandy. This will be ready for Autumn 2024.

We are excited to share the new branding for 2022. The labels have been updated to reflect the product quality, and have been created by Sophie Moulton, Graphic Designer of Moulton Creative. We are delighted with the design, and hope you are too!

It’s hot and it’s dry! And we have had a constant breeze for months now.

As the ground is so dry, and with no/little prospect of any rain soon, we have had to resort to manual watering………………… Something to do in the early mornings ( from 05:30 am just to beat the heat)! Hopefully this will make a difference to this year’s harvest, which looks light compared to last year. We think this could be as a result of the dry spring too.

Spring and Summer have been dry. And the wind has not helped things. We will need rain, otherwise we will be watering again.

Despite this, the fruit has set, and is expanding well.

We are keeping our fingers crossed for another good harvest!