Following a very successful Apple Day and in an effort to increase the productivity of locally grown produce, Chalford Food Chain oganised a fruit and nut tree-planting project.

To encourage people to plant there own we put in a group order for fruit and nut trees and bushes form the Agroforestry Research Trust (see below for info). As well as encouraging people to order trees for there own gardens we also planned to order a number of trees that would be planted in communal and public spaces around the village in the late winter or early spring. By putting in a group order we will be able to get free delivery and may to get one or two plants for the community thrown in.

The Agroforestry Research Trust (ART) is a registered charity, that conducts research into all aspects of temperate agroforestry and into all aspects of plant cropping and uses, with a focus on tree, shrub and perennial crops. All profits from plant sales goes into research projects which promote sustainable agricultural models.  They have a fantastically interesting and varied selection of traditional and unusual trees and shrubs from Apples to Walnuts and from Blue Bean to Yellow horn!?

Five families signed up to the first order from ART adding Apples, Apricots, Grapes, Hazelnuts, Peaches,  Pears, and Raspberries to the gardens of Chalford.