SLOG Events
SLOG holds practical and interesting events for our members throughout the year including grafting and budding workshops (where you can create your own trees, all materials provided), pruning workshops for both standard and espallier trees, orchard visits, seasonal meetings with guest speakers and members apple pressing days where you can bring your own apples to be pressed (with some volume limits). We also have a stand that tours some of the local fairs and events. You always learn something at a SLOG event!
FORTHCOMING EVENTS ​
Wednesday 30th July:
SLOG Annual General Meeting: 7.30pm at Crook Memorial Hall
Reports from Chairman, Membership Secretary, Treasurer & Web Editor. Elections to these Posts and for Committee Members for 2025/26. Followed by a Committee meeting (all welcome) Refreshments provided, cakes etc welcome.
Directions: From Plumgarths roundabout (the Northern roundabout of the A591, Kendal bypass) proceed down the B5284 Crook Road through the village of Crook to the Memorial Hall on the left after ascending the hill from the Sun Inn, before the Church. Google Map details here.
Saturday 9th August:
Budding & Summer Pruning & Budding Workshop,
Growing Well - Sizergh LA8 8AE
2:00 – 4.30pm.
Meet at the Yurts at 2pm. Hilary Wilson will demonstrate budding onto apple rootstocks which is the technique favoured by commercial nurseries for fruit tree propagation. You can then have a go with M26 rootstocks. Bring your own Stanley knife or similar (a few will be provided) and gardening gloves for protection. Bring a bag to carry away your budded tree(s). Wear suitable footwear as the path to the yurts may be muddy. SLOG grafting knives will be available for anybody who does not have their own. We will then move on to Growing Well’s collection of cordon trees to demonstrate and practice summer pruning which is an essential technique for management of all restricted forms of fruit trees. Free to SLOG members, no need for advance booking
Directions: From M6 junction 36 go 4 miles on A591 towards Kendal, then A590 Barrow, then shortly on right follow brown signs for Sizergh Castle, then Low Sizergh Barn. From Kendal go 3½ miles south on the A591 then just before the A590 interchange turn left into the car park at Low Sizergh Barn Farm Shop and Tearooms. Park at the far end of the car park and walk over the fields. Google Map details here
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Saturday 16th August:
SLOG Orchard Working Party.
from 10am. The major activity will be summer pruning which is important to keep the growth of the cordons under control. Some canes need inserting and/or replacing and some ties will need loosening. Bring your own secateurs if you have them (some will be provided), and gardening gloves. We usually finish around noon.
Directions: The SLOG orchard is in Kendal on the Underley Road Allotments, situated between Underley Road & Hallgarth Circle just east of Windermere Road. The south entrance is off Underley Road from where a narrow green lane leads to a gate on your left which opens directly into the orchard. Car parking is also available just off Hallgarth Circle. Nearby postcode for satnav LA9 5ET. Google Map details here
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Saturday 16th November: 2 pm until 4:30pm
Planting & Formative Pruning Workshop, Mill Field Orchard, Crosthwaite. Andy Brown's orchard is the back-up to the SLOG orchard and contains most of the Cumbrian apple varieties on MM111 rootstock and many of the Crookfoot pear varieties. The trees range from 1yr old up to 5yr old so are ideal for demonstrating and practicing formative pruning. There are a few more trees to plant so this is also an opportunity to discuss and demonstrate best practice in planting top fruit trees. Suitable footwear required for rough ground. Bring your own secateurs if you have them and the SLOG pruning kit will also be available. Directions: See Google Map here, or W3W here. Park and meet at Crosthwaite Village Hall (LA8 8HT) at 2pm then we will walk down Oak Lane to the orchard. Free to SLOG members, no need for advance booking.
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Apple Pressing Dates:
Saturday 27th September 10am – 3pm Members Apple Pressing at Halecat, Witherslack. Book time slots with Dick Palmer.
Saturday 4th October 11am – 3pm Ford Park Apple Day (including pressing), Ulverston.
Sunday 5th October 10am - 3pm Apple Pressing at Hest Bank; email Moyna Hargest for time slot: moyna_m@hotmail.com If you can't make this date, Moyna will be operating other dates in September/October, just ask her for details.
Sunday 12th October 10.30am – 3.30pm NT Acorn Bank Apple identification & technical advice.
Sunday 12th October 10am – 3.30pm Beetham Nursery Apple Weekend including pressing, apple identification & advice.
Saturday 25th October 12 noon – 4 pm Sedbergh Apple Day including pressing, identification & advice
Sunday 2nd November 10am – 3pm Members Apple Pressing at Sprint Mill, Burneside. Book time slots with Andy Gilchrist.
Orchard Events
The orchard planting is coming along. A plan of the orchard and its varieties is now available.
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More details are on the SLOG Orchard page.
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If you would like to join the orchard team, please email Andy Andy Gilchrist or call 01539 727772.
We see this as an opportunity to:
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maintain some of the rarer Furness, Cumberland and Westmorland varieties, from which scion wood and/or buds can be provided for propagation
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grow on grafts from unidentified trees to obtain fruit for identification
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evaluate scab-resistant varieties under Cumbrian conditions
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evaluate new rootstocks such as M116
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evaluate the suitability of new varieties for Cumbrian conditions
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etc etc (and it doesn't have to be just apples!)
North Cumbria Orchard Group Events
NCOG events are open to SLOG Members as a reciprocal arrangement.
A link to NCOG events can be found by clicking here:
SLOG Apple Tasting
Gilchrist Gold - Pear from Crook Foot Orchard
SLOG Apple Pressing Events
SLOG Annex Orchard - Mill Fields