We pressed a ton of juice in the orchard last autumn (pictured) and it won't be many weeks before we're ready to do it again - with your help.

There's a good crop of apples in Portmoak Community Orchard; not a bumper crop, like last year's, but plenty of varieties to pick and blend.

Most people with apple trees are reporting a very mixed picture - some trees heavy with fruit, others with none. Please bring any apples you can to the orchard on Sunday 1st October, 2-4pm, and we'll turn them into juice which you can take away (remember containers).

We're delighted to welcome back Andrew Lear, aka 'appletreeman', who will do his best to identify your garden apples, if you bring the fruit as well as twigs and leaves. 

As ever, Portmoak Community Woodland Group will produce a groaning table of apple-themed baking, to go with the teas and coffees. Apple Day is free but we welcome donations to help cover the event costs, as well as other expenses, like the equipment needed to maintain the orchard. 

There'll also be games for the children. If you haven't been before, there's a lovely terraced area in the centre of the orchard, called Chris's Place, in memory of our late member, Chris Vlasto from Kinnesswood. The orchard is across the road from Portmoak Kirk and Portmoak Village Hall. If we're unlucky and it pours with rain, we'll move to the hall, which has worked well on previous occasions.