13,000 apple trees will be planted in Somerset this week as Thatchers Cider plants a brand-new 50-acre orchard – roughly the size of 31 football pitches.
The orchard marks the beginning of a new generation at Thatchers, as the family business celebrates record demand, and they look ahead to their fifth generation of cider makers, as Eleanor Thatcher earns her place on the board.
The planting follows three years of regenerative farming to prepare the land for the new trees, ensuring top quality soil for the tastiest apples. Two apple varieties, Red Windsor and Katy, were carefully selected, offering a sweet and refreshing taste, as well as being well-suited to the Somerset climate. The apples will be used in a variety of ciders, including the single variety Thatchers Katy as well as Thatchers Juicy Apple and Thatchers Rosé, producing thousands of pints a year when the orchard is fully grown.
Martin Thatcher said: “Great cider begins in the orchard, so making sure the soil is in peak condition is vitally important. It can be up to eight years from taking on the land, to harvesting our first full crop, and then we want it to be a fruitful orchard for decades to come, producing top quality apples that we can craft into delicious ciders.”
“Our orchards are not only places of cider production, but havens for biodiversity; from the bees that pollinate the trees to the worms that enrich the soil.”
Employees from across the business joined the farming team and the Thatcher family to plant the trees. The family were also joined by special friends from Bath Rugby and Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, as well as Great British Bake-Off contestant Briony May Williams, and actor Joe Sims.
