Applefest 2009

From the Adams Pearmain and Alkmene, to the Winter Wonder and Zabergau. Today I’ve tasted more apples than I ever knew existed!


The South East corner of England is famous for its fruit, and the apple is the king of the crop. And each October at a farm not far from me, we celebrate our favorite fruit at an Apple Festival

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click on pictures to enlarge


In an enormous barn circular tables were laid out with boxes of apples and everyone was invited to try each and every variety on display. In the centre of each table were bottles of locally made cider and pressed apple juice. Around the walls local cheese makers and bakers and butchers sold their produce.


But the apples are only one small part of the event for Applefest is also a music festival. Two stages played host to 10 bands which performed jazz soul and country music to audiences sitting on hay bales.

And at two bars we queued for pints of cider, perry and locally brewed ale. One particularly strong cider went by the rather scary name of SuiCidal!

There was country dancing and puppet shows. A never-ending queue shuffled towards a hog roast and the farm animals looked on clearly annoyed that the peace of a sunny Autumn afternoon had be shattered been hundreds of kids poking and prodding them!

But the highlight of the day for me was the chicken racing! I risked several pence on chicken number five, Sussex Scrambler but it came in last! I didn’t have much luck in the sheep race either!

I’ll leave you with the final act of the day playing me out!