This popular celebration of our apple growing heritage takes place this year in Putley and Aylton on 4th and 5th May. Both days there is much going on from 10am to 5pm including:
guided walks through the orchards
tastings and sales of local perries and ciders
local arts and crafts
demonstrations and talks
pollinator display
collaborative art installation
You can find what’s happening and when at the Big Apple website –www.bigapple.org.uk.
Do come and enjoy the flowering of Spring! Get your entry pass to all this at Putley Parish Hall (Adults £5. Accompanied Children Free)
An interesting event in Malvern presents a history of land rights – the root of all food production. Brief details are in the poster below or go to threeacresandacow.co.uk.
Local Market in Ledbury – Saturday 12th April
Roger and Lynn at The Barn are running a local market this Saturday in St Katherine’s Square outside The Barn, Ledbury. (Just off the High Street)
They have advised us that those present will include Peter Cooks Bread, Jill the Pie Maker, Greggs Pitt cider and perry, Double Trouble dog treats, Andrew King chocolates, Bromyard raw milk and yoghurt, Stephen Bull pastries and the Bowler Hat farmer. There will also be fruit and veg, flowers and plants plus a blacksmith.
Ledbury Charter Market will also be running on this day under the Market House and in the High Street.
Join us for Ledbury’s Celebration of Breakfast over the weekend of Friday 31st January, Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd February – the 13th Ledbury Big Breakfast
17 local venues in and around Ledbury are taking part on one or more days in this event organised by Ledbury Food Group to celebrate our local food and drink producers and retailers and a healthy breakfast. The event takes place at cafes, pubs, hotels, butchers and delis in and around Ledbury.
Traditional Breakfast at Trumpet Tearoom
There is lots of choice from the lightest to the heaviest breakfast showing the ingenuity of our local food venues – check through the listing below for something to sample, savour and enjoy
Visit our butchers – Gurneys and Wallers – to discover their breakfast delights for you to take home and enjoy.
Our delis will feature a wide range of local produce to take home to make a special breakfast.
The Country Market at St Katherine’s Hall on Friday will have lots of local produce for sale for your breakfast at home, as will Hellens Produce Market at Hellens Manor on Saturday. Both will be serving breakfasts this year.
Things get very busy on the Saturday morning – if you see something or somewhere you fancy, please book in advance where possible to avoid disappointment. More places now offer breakfasts on Sunday.
Please note that Janey’s and the New Market Café are not able to participate this year.
See below for full details of what specials are available, where and when – many venues will also offer their normal breakfast menu. A number offer vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options. Times are when breakfasts will be available.
The full listing of special offerings – what, where and when?
Based on information provided by the participants. Many will also have their usual breakfast offerings available and will be open during their normal hours.
Want to know more about “sustainable” farming – see the film “Six Inches of Soil” in Ledbury on 27th January
Come and join us for an evening of learning and discussion at Burgage Hall in Ledbury hosted by the Herefordshire Food Alliance, Sustainable Ledbury and Ledbury Food Group.
We will be screening the thought-provoking film “Six Inches of Soil”
This will be followed by an engaging Q&A session with local farmers and growers.
This event is a great opportunity to delve into the world of sustainable agriculture and the importance of healthy soil.
We will also be hearing about the challenges faced by farmers and growers in adopting new management approaches and what support they need on local and national levels.
Ticket includes a light buffet of local food. Teas and coffees also available on the night.
Event Details
When? Monday 27 January 2025
Time? 6pm – refreshments
6.30pm – film showing
8pm – refreshment break
8.30pm – Questions and Answers
Where? Burgage Hall, Church Lane, Ledbury, HR8 1DW
Parking? Town Centre Public Car Parks – Free after 6pm
Booking? Admission by Ticket – cost £5 (including refreshments)
Helping Others? We will be collecting donations for Ledbury Food Bank at this event. Your help will be very much appreciated!
Details about this year’s Ledbury Big Breakfast – Friday 31st January and Saturday and Sunday 1st and 2nd of February – will be available on this website from mid-January
One of Ledbury’s popular events – the Ledbury Big Breakfast – is taking place over Friday 31st January, Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd February 2025.
Annie at the Aga at the Trumpet Tearoom
Local shops, cafes, hotels and other food outlets in and around Ledbury are challenged to come up with special breakfast offerings for you featuring locally produced food to brighten a winter’s day.
Breakfasts can be big or small, traditional or newly invented, to be enjoyed in our local eating places or taken home for enjoyment. Many venues will provide vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options – please check with them.
Last year you could have savoured Hot Breakfast Sandwiches, American Pancakes, Devilled Kidneys, Bacon Rolls, Eggs Royale, Benedict or Florentine, French Toast and Caramelised Bananas, a Pancake Tower, Bacon Rolls, Huevos Rancheros, Smoked Salmon, Brioche Butties, Porridge Brulé, local breads and cheese and, of course the traditional English Breakfast in all sizes and variations.
Local butchers, delicatessens and the Country Market will feature local produce for you to take home – and perhaps some breakfast specials for the event!
Granola served by Izzy at the Nest.
The Big Breakfast brings cheer at the darkest time of the year, with a positive message about the qualities of our local produce and food offerings. We also celebrate the importance – and on this occasion pleasure – of starting the day with a satisfying breakfast.
Why not use the event as an opportunity to go out with your neighbours, friends or colleagues?
Full details of all our businesses taking part, their special offerings and which days these will be on sale will be available on this websitefrom mid-January.
Things can be busy particularly on the Saturday – many venues will take reservations to make things easier. A number will be now open on the Sunday.
Put a note in your diary to enjoy a scrumptious Ledbury breakfast, and please also help Ledbury Food Bank if you can. Find out how at www.ledburyfoodbank.org.
Cider presses are gearing up for action in this corner of Herefordshire, and Big Apple venues are standing by to welcome you to the Marcle Ridge on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th October. The apple harvest will be in full swing – no matter which way you turn around Much Marcle, apples are everywhere! Not to mention pears – perry pears of course.
Eight familiar Big Apple venues, including Woodredding, Lyne Down, Hellens, Gregg’s Pit and Awnells Farm, alongside Westons Cider with their new sales area and tasting room, will be welcoming visitors to enjoy the orchards, see, hear and smell cider being made and taste many different varieties of apples, local ciders, perries and apple juices. And don’t miss apple teas at the Memorial Hall!
This year’s highlights include:
Giving a hand to press perry pears from the ancient avenue at Hellens Manor
Wheeling along with the Big Apple Bike Ride
Tasting ‘Five cheeses, four ciders and a perry’ hosted by Brian and Fran Robbins at Woodredding, with Dean Storey of Monkland Cheesemakers
Sessions on practical aspects of planting and pruning apple trees led by orchardist Martin Hayes
The chance to buy refurbished garden tools from Tools for Self Reliance Cymru
A talk from agronomist Matt Greep describing the ‘Friends and foes of an apple orchard’ – a ‘must’ for those who like to do things for themselves
Adam Wells talking about his recent book ‘Perry: a Drinker’s Guide’ alongside tastings of five Herefordshire perries
Gregg’s Pit offering a tutored tasting of three vintages of their single variety Thorn champagne perry.
There will be tasty food offers to tempt you and musical interludes including Ciderkin Session, Ross Folk Choir, Leominster Morris, Gidderskins and Blackthorn Ritualistic Folk are to be found in and around the different orchards.
Full details of venues including locations, parking, special events and advance booking (where required), can be found at https://www.bigapple.org.uk/harvestime/.
Once again, a tractor and trailer service will run between Westons and Awnells Farm, and the 232 Daffodil Line bus will provide a regular connection between Much Marcle and Ledbury, Newent and Ross-on-Wye.
The Big Apple is delighted to be working alongside others this year to place apples right at the heart of Herefordshire under the umbrella of Hereford AppleFest.
Information provided to us by The Big Apple Association.
We are holding our AGM on Monday 12th August at 6.00pm at the Market House, High Street. Ledbury (upstairs).
You will be most welcome to join us for this important event. It’s an opportunity to find out who we are and meet the new committee for the year 2024/25.
We are always open to new ideas to support our aims of encouraging local food and drink production and retail.
Access the following papers for the meeting via the links:
We are hoping to provide Zoom access to this meeting.
…and an Apology
We apologise that due to technical problems our website has not been available for the last few weeks. The problems are now resolved.
Because of the problem, you may not have seen the blog on July’s successful Ledbury Celebration event – this is now available at Ledbury Celebration Beats The Weather.
Eight familiar Big Apple venues, including Woodredding, Lyne Down, Hellens, Gregg’s Pit and Awnells Farm, alongside Westons Cider with their new sales area and tasting room, will be welcoming visitors to enjoy the orchards, see, hear and smell cider being made and taste many different varieties of apples, local ciders, perries and apple juices. And don’t miss apple teas at the Memorial Hall! 
The Big Apple is delighted to be working alongside others this year to place apples right at the heart of Herefordshire under the umbrella of