Coming soon - Re-Betchworth's fourth AppleFest!
Make sure you’ve got the 4th October AppleFest in your calendar now, and plan to join us for a fun-packed afternoon at Betchworth Village Hall from 1.00 to 4.00pm
Whether in Brockham, Buckland or Betchworth, local apple trees look set to produce a bumper crop this year. So make space in your freezer for several litres of delicious juice – whether pressed from your own apples or from excess fruit donated by others. Then come and enjoy the fourth year of this communal initiative - there’s lots going on…
We’ll be running all our usual Apple Pressing, Juice Sales and Kids’ Activities, with delicious freshly pressed juice, cakes, tea and coffees on offer all afternoon. Plus, you’ll find a host of other attractions alongside the ‘Press Gang’ operation. Both Betchworth Village Hall and the surrounding outside space will be transformed into a veritable carnival of apples and nature-related activities for the whole family to enjoy.
NEW: Honey and Bees – To link with the children's activities and build on the success of last year’s honey sales, there’ll be an educational display on the importance of Bees and other pollinators vital to our food supplies. Plus delicious ultra-local honey from ultra-local beekeepers.
NEW: Stalls from local suppliers – Veg boxes from Hollie Hollingworth’s new market garden in Gadbrook, plus other stalls.
Expanded: The Re-Betchworth Bake Off – now with a call for Apple Tart entries as well as Apple Cake in our independently judged baking competition. Strudels and tray bakes also welcome. So brush off your favourite recipe and aim for a winner’s rosette. For entry details, contact coombecott@hotmail.co.uk.
Returning: Garden tool and knife sharpening – By popular demand Adam, from Surrey Sharpeners, will be back to set up shop with an on-the-day service to bring your secateurs, shears, spades, edging tools, hoes, loppers, axes, scissors and knives back to life.
Chutneys, Jams & Jellies – Come and browse (and taste too); there’ll be a huge selection of delicious local produce on sale in the hall. And if you have an excess of home preserves you want to sell, this is your opportunity. Find out more...
Expanded: Children’s Activities – We’re giving more space to these ever-popular activities for younger family members, under the creative eye of our Betchworth Forest Camp leader. Older children are welcome to help with the pressing of your apples, under supervision. And we’ll have two Face Painters this year, to avoid any disappointment.
Apple Pressing - Bring your apples along to have them pressed and bottled (no windfalls please); bring your own bottles too, to save money. No crop? No worries! Come anyway and buy the freshest possible juice, pressed in front of your eyes, from apples donated by others locally.
Get in touch if you have an abundant crop you don't know what to do with. We’re always looking for more to juice! Email: rebetchworth@gmail.com
Cakes, Teas and Refreshments – If you come for no other reason, then treat yourself to a slice of scrumptious village-baked apple cake (chocolate, carrot and other flavours also available!), washed down with coffee, tea etc.
Would you like to get involved? If you fancy joining the team and helping make the day another roaring success, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch at: rebetchworth@gmail.com