THE 2026 ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE TRUSTEESOF GABRIEL’S COMMUNITY ORCHARD PILTON.

Gabriel’s Community Orchard had another very good year in 2025/2026 with well attended monthly working parties, and a bumper crop of apples. The largest apple crop that we have ever harvested, and juiced.

Our annual programme involves pruning and maintenance during the winter dormant

season. During the summer months we are busy with grass maintenance and the summer pruning of stone fruit. In early autumn picking, juicing, and bottling becomes our major tasks when we move to weekly working parties.

We had a bumper crop and we juiced and bottled over 500 bottles of apple juice. This

provides our annual income stream to run the orchard.

Due to popular demand we repeated our annual pruning and grafting courses run by Les Davies formerly the Showering’s Apple Officer in the spring and these courses were over subscribed. We are grateful for the financial support of the Alan Powell Trust in running these courses, which make the cost to the participants very accessible.

Gabriel’s Orchard continues to have a high profile within the village with us having a stall at Pilton Day and at the Tithe Barn Christmas Fair. All are welcome at the Orchard both joining in the working parties, and just enjoying the open space which is much enjoyed by dog walkers.

Joe King

Secretary to the Managing Trustees.