Apple Day 2024: Thatchers Cider celebrates 120th harvest
21st October 2024
A Somerset-based apple producer, Thatchers Cider, is celebrating its 120th harvest with some of the biggest crops.
The cider makers confirmed that 500 acres of orchards at Myrtle Farm have produced one of the juiciest apples in recent years.
Rainy September combined with a few warm and sunny days have helped the apples, said fourth-generation cider maker Martin Thatcher.
He told the local media: “Cider apples love a mild autumn.
“The warmer weather mixed with the moisture in the deep, rich Somerset soil gave the trees a perfect environment to produce our traditional bittersweet varieties, such as Dabinett and Somerset Redstreak.”
Chris Muntz-Torres, Thatchers’ orchard manager, added: “The mix of weather we’ve seen, plenty of rain followed by bursts of warm sunshine, has been exactly what our apples needed.
“It’s helped the fruit ripen slowly and develop the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, ready to be pressed into our award-winning ciders.”
120th harvest
Mr Thatcher added: “The rain has been a blessing for the trees, while the late summer sun has boosted the fruit’s natural sugars, giving our ciders their distinctive depth and character.
“As a cidermaker, we need traditional bittersweet apple varieties to bring the tannins and full body to our ciders, while certain varieties of dessert apples, such as our favourite Katy, add extra freshness and sweetness where needed,” he said.
As Thatchers celebrates its 120th harvest, it remains a family-run business, committed to its roots in Somerset and the craft of cider making, the company said.
Today also marks a special day for British apple growers, Apple Day 2024.
Apple Day is an annual celebration of apples and orchards grown in the UK, and pays tribute to the rich heritage and diversity of apple varieties grown across the country.
The celebration traditionally takes place on 21st October, which is the date of the first such event in 1990.
Read more fruit news.
