On Saturday 17th June there will be two local Get Growing Summer Open Days for children and families to enjoy.

The Get Growing Summer Open Days will be held at Horfield Organic Community Orchard and Metford Road Community Orchard, and both will be free entry and family-friendly.

Children and families will be able to explore the orchards and learn more about growing fruit, as well as discover the wildlife and nature that abounds there.

Details of both of the Summer Open Days are below…

Horfield Organic Community Orchard: Saturday 17th June, 1 – 5pm

All welcome to enjoy an afternoon exploring Bristol’s pioneering community orchard. Set up in 1998, and cared for by members who are volunteers, HOCO aims to inspire fruit-growing as a way to grow community, wellbeing, and local, sustainable food.

All are welcome to come and see the orchard’s newly planted Home Orchard Plot project – a mini orchard with a 10 x 4 metre footprint.

You can also be inspired to grow productive and delicious fruit on your allotment or garden. View HOCO’s Orchard Roots Bristol exhibition for stories of local and heritage apples and find out how a small community group transformed a piece of marginal and neglected land into a beautiful, fruitful urban oasis.

The relaxed nature of this event will give you the opportunity to ask the volunteers questions and gain advice on how to grow fruit.

There will be homemade cakes, refreshments, produce and plants for sale. There’s also a compost loo on site.

To find this Summer Open Day (nearest postcode BS7 8JP), walk down the lane beside 22 Kings Drive (between Bishop Road and Kellaway Avenue), turn left and it’s the first gate on the right.

OR, take the lane beside 134 Longmead Avenue until you come to the last gate on the left

For more information visit www.community-orchard.org.uk

Contact: hocohello@gmail.com / 0117 373 1587.

Metford Road Community Orchard, Redland: Saturday 17th June, 12 – 5pm

Metford Road Community Orchard is an almost secret garden, a green and wild place which contains many fruit trees and butterflies and frogs too! Planted on permaculture principles, it is on a steep slope so sturdy shoes are advised.

Children and families will enjoy discovering the wildlife and many creatures which live at the orchard and there will be guided tours, too.

There will be produce and plants for sale, plus refreshments too. Compost loo on site.

Entrance to the orchard is next to 37 Metford Road, BS6 7LA.

For more information visit http://mrco.wikidot.com/

***

I hope you enjoy these events! For details of more upcoming local events please head over to the Bishopston Mum What’s On Page.