(Postcode: HR8 2QH, What3Words: ///dugouts.prepares.clash)
10am to 5pm
Birchley is a commercial cider apple farm, also producing Single Variety apple juice and cider. During the event, visitors will be able to see the machines used to harvest the apples and learn more about the orchard and growing process. There will be a programme of talks and short films throughout the weekend, along with opportunities to sample and purchase the family’s apple juice and cider to drink onsite or take away.
Family trail through orchard.
‘Portaloo’ available.
Birchley is a new venue for Big Apple Blossomtime 2026.
Talks:
Sunday 3rd May
11:00 Preserving Traditional Orchards: key features and management
Geoff Newman, Natural England
An exploration of what a traditional orchard priority habitat is, what its key features are and how we should manage them to maximise nature recovery.
14:30 The Story of the Herefordshire Pomona
Bill Laws, Herefordshire-based writer and historian, captures the remarkable story of the Herefordshire Pomona, written by a country doctor and illustrated with 441 watercolours by his daughter and a virtually unknown artist.
Monday 4th May
11:00 Orchards – My Happy Place
Brian Robbins will describe how Herefordshire and cidermaking have inspired some of the short stories in his book ‘A Healing Orchard’. He will talk about the experiences and research that help to explain why orchards are a ‘happy place’ to so many people.
14:30 Masefield’s Herefordshire paradise
Tim Keyes is a retired Head Teacher and a member of the board of the Lottery-funded “Masefield Matters” project which is working hard to raise the profile of John Masefield’s life and works in the town in which he was born. Masefield retained a life-long love of Herefordshire and its beautiful countryside.
Stallholders:
Herefordshire Wildlife Trust (Sunday only)
Herefordshire Ramblers
Oh My Goat – award winning gelato