Over 30 varieties of Cherries to Taste & Buy
Tractor Trailer Tours of the Cherry Orchards
Vintage Tea Rooms & Cherry Cake
The Cherry Fair at Brogdale, Faversham is to take place on the 19th July to celebrate the hundreds of varieties being preserved in the National Fruit Collection.
Visitors will find a display of different named varieties with lots on offer to taste and buy on the day. The opportunity to experience such a vast expanse of cherries only takes place once a year as the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale contains only two trees of each of these unique and rare delights. The date therefore is set at what is anticipated to be the height of the crop.
The cherry stone spitting and cherry pie eating competitions will be returning along with other activities for the family including games, children’s crafts and face painting. Joes Bows will be offering “have a go” archery and the miniature railway will be running throughout the day. Local food and craft stalls will offer a range of goodies and visitors can enjoy summer pimms and a vintage tearoom featuring cherry cakes.
The Canterbury Beekeepers will bring along their live hive and offer talks on keeping bees at home. Other demonstrations will include talks on allotments, growing cherries and cookery.
Kimberly Campion, Development Officer for Brogdale Collections comments: “the cherry season is a personal favourite for me as they are such a little summer fruits but have such a big flavour and never cease to surprise and delight. I am still making my way through the hundreds of different varieties! The cherry celebration is perfect for all levels of enthusiasm and we are continually ensuring there is something to entertain all ages. The farm manager is anticipating a heavy crop this year”.
The Collections hold over 350 varieties of cherries ranging from deep red through to almost white. Orchard tours can be taken either walking or by tractor trailer and will see the orchards at an exciting and colourful time of year. The knowledgeable guides will offer an insight into the collections and the interesting history of cherry growing in Kent.
Brogdale has unlimited free parking, a picnic area, disabled toilets a marketplace of local shops, garden centre and micro-brewery. Tickets can be purchased on the gate at £8 an adult, £4 a child or purchased online at a discount. Find out more at www.brogdalecollections.org
Other fruit days and festivals are planned for later in the season including the Cider Festival on the 29/30 August and Apple Festival 17/18 October.
