Cherry Blossom Time

 We had a very unusual Christmas present last year.

It was a cherry tree for a year from Rentacherry in Northiam.

Each year they send you 6 e.mails to tell us how things are going. The last one told us about the blossom weekend.

We reserved our places for Saturday 23rd. and several members of the family accompanied us.

The weather was perfect.

We parked in the field and walked the short distance to the farm. The children had a quiz set up round the orchard which was in full bloom. Gentle breezes drifted petals around us like snow.

Here is Alfie completing his quiz sheet with my sister.

We bought locally made sausages for our next sausage sizzle, some cherry juice made from 3 kg of cherries and cherry conserve. Everything was very reasonably priced.

We collected our picnic from the cars and met up with more family. Then we settled our blankets right under our tree to have a rather early lunch (11.15)
 

It was delightful.

Next it was cream teas and cherry icecream. Lovely.

We walked right round the orchard once again so my nephews could do the quiz. We chatted to a man in his garden adjoining the field and he told us some interesting facts.

There are certain days in spring when the cherry blossom is very vulnerable to frost. If frost is forecast the farmer Michael, drives around the rows all night with a blower dissipating the threatened cold. The neighbour said it was very noisy and they didn`t get any sleep on those nights. Michael gives them a tree every year in compensation.

The blossom is very beautiful.

Obviously there are millions of flowers which need pollinating so at various intervals there were huge yellow bee homes with all kinds of bees going in and out.

It was a lovely day out and we are looking forward to the harvest which should be at the end of July.

 

Many thanks Tim and Anne.