Pip spitting a speciality

Pip spitting, apple peeling and juice tasting were among the activities on offer at an apple day at Osmanthorpe Orchard on Sunday.

The event, organised by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, which manages the Kirklington orchard as a nature reserve, celebrated the apple in all its forms.

Visitors were invited to take part in the longest peel challenge and a pip-spitting contest, along with apple bobbing and painting and printing with cut apples.

They were also given baskets to collect apples from the small orchard, which features a variety of apple trees including Russet and Bramley. If there were none on the floor, environmental craftsman Mr Ray Lister was on hand to shake the apples off the trees for visitors to pick up.

Mr Lister, who runs rural craft demonstrations and workshops, then pressed the apples which were turned into a tasty juice for people to drink.

Children

Among the visitors who enjoyed the freshly pressed apple juice were Mr and Mrs Ray Stenson, of East Leake, who brought their granddaughter Amy Deacon (5) along for the day.

Mr Anne Stenson said: “We have had a wonderful time and came here especially for the apple day. It has been a very interesting event, particularly for the children.”