Conferences and events

Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness

The PLACE autumn conference 2008 was held on 4th October at Ampleforth, in conjunction with the Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group, and supported by the Howardian Hills AONB Sustainable Development Fund. It was attended by over 60 people.

Presentations during the morning:

• Barry Potter (independent orchard specialist): Old orchards - new opportunities
  
• Simon Clark (Northern Fruit Group): Orchards today and tomorrow
• Phil Lyth (FWAG): Orchards for wildlife
• Dave Chesmore (YNU and Royal Entomological Society): Moths in old orchards
• Pat Wilson (Historic Parks & Gardens Study Group): The lost orchards of Nidderdale
  
• Laura Mason (Slow Food): Slow Food and the orchard heritage.
  

In the afternoon, the party visited the orchard at Ampleforth College, led by Fr Rainer, where we heard about the history and current management of the Ampleforth orchards, the varieties of fruit grown and their uses, and looked at the cider-making enterprise.