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Cider maker to grow new orchard with 13,000 trees
Thatchers Cider, which recorded its highest-ever turnover in its 120-year history last year, has embarked on an ambitious project to launch a new orchard to expand its offerings.
Located near the Mendip Hills, just a short drive from Thatchers’ headquarters at Myrtle Farm, the new orchard will nurture 13,000 apple trees.
Bristol24/7 recently visited the newly unveiled orchard, where the farming staff were busy planting one metre-long saplings in the carefully prepared furrowed rows.
is needed now More than ever
The orchard is not entirely new; in fact, it has been in the making for the last three years since Thatchers purchased the plot of land.
The prepared furrows of the new orchard of Thatchers Cider
Instead of immediately planting an orchard, the cider maker decided to regenerate the soil through farming, which increased the biomass by 22 per cent and fixed nitrogen into the soil by introducing legume crops.
The soil was then turned and furrowed into rows before apple trees, mainly of the Katy variety, were planted using tractors. The bright red, juicy Katy apples are used to produce the single-variety Katy Cider, which has become popular since it was rolled out.
Actor, radio presenter and much-loved local celebrity Joe Simms trying his hand at planting the saplings of the new orchard
Chris Muntz-Torres, orchard manager at Thatchers Cider, discussed the tree planting process, with nearly 4,000 trees already planted. The first harvest is expected in three years.
The land was introduced with a diverse variety of grass and crops to improve soil health through grazing by sheep. The grass sward includes deep-rooting plants, herbs, and legumes that fix nitrogen, enhancing the soil quality for the orchard.
“The whole goal, the only goal, over the past three years has been to improve the soil, ensuring it’s in top condition for the orchard,” said Chris Muntz-Torres, orchard manager at Thatchers Cider
He said: “We were fortunate to acquire this land about three years ago, but we didn’t rush to plant the trees. What we really wanted to do was improve the soil health before proceeding with that.
“So, we planted a really diverse grass sward, as we call it. If you look down here, you can see some grass, but we also have a variety of other plants. There are deep-rooting plants, different herbs, and legumes that fix nitrogen into the soil.
“The whole goal, the only goal, over the past three years has been to improve the soil, ensuring it’s in top condition for the orchard. Essentially, all that’s happened over the past three years with this grass sward is that it’s been grazed by sheep. As a result, we now have really high-quality plants, setting the stage for healthy trees.”
The orchard consists of three plots of land, each the size of six football pitches, and is set to sequester tonnes of CO2, locking it back into the ground.
The new orchard of Thatchers Cider sits next to the Mendips
Emma Russell, communications manager, said: “To put it into context, Thatchers is a family-owned business that has been operating for over 120 years, and they’ve managed to do so by planning ahead. This orchard is a perfect example of that forward-thinking approach.
“Three years ago, they were fortunate to acquire the land, which was fantastic, and they assessed the soil quality, realising that in order to plant healthy trees, they needed to make the soil as healthy as possible.
“So, they spent three years regeneratively farming the land. We’ve had cattle and sheep grazing here, herbal lays, and a lot of work done to improve the soil.”
Emma Russell, communications manager, explaining the journey of the latest orchard of Thatchers Cider
Russell added: “It was such an exciting moment when we broke into the soil and saw an abundance of worms—such a beautiful sign that the soil is thriving. These worms, alongside the bees that pollinate the trees and the flies, are our unseen cider makers.
“All of them, along with millions of other insects, are working together so that when you go to the pub and order a pint of cider, you know it’s the result of nature at its best.”
The family-run cider press is currently managed by fourth-generation cider maker Martin Thatcher, with active participation from his daughter Eleanor Thatcher, the fifth-generation cider maker, who is behind Juicy Apple, made using renewable electricity.
After a three-year period of regeneration, the orchard is ready to be populated with apple trees
All photos: Milan Perera
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