In the Orchard

Workshops and talks from The Leicestershire Heritage Apple Project
We  offer in person and online  talks please see below for details.
The Leicestershire Heritage Apple project promotes, re-discovers and grows 
Apples which are locally grown and completely unique to Leicestershire! 
By planting these trees today we are all helping to prevent the loss of natural diversity 
across the English countryside and retain a rich part of history.   

Workshops & Talks

Discover more about caring for your orchard, grafting, using products from your orchard 
If a course is full, please contact us if you would like to go on the waiting list.
In Person and Online talks and courses offered

In Person courses (2026/7)

2 1/2 hour Grafting Workshop- for individuals

Learn the basics of grafting in our two and half hour workshops generally available in February and March next courses 2027. Take home 2 trees. Cost £38 Two methods of grafting to learn, Scion supplied, choice of at least 4 cultivars. Booklet on the learning to take home. See below for courses running.

Feb 2027 bookings open. 1000am , near Sileby and online 
You may also join via zoom, postage of rootstocks & scions will be extra for online participants. 


2 hour Grafting Workshop- for groups

 Learn the basics of grafting in our two hour workshops available in February and March with your group. Each person takes home 2 trees Two methods of grafting to learn, Scion supplied, choice of at least 4 cultivars. Booklet on the learning to take home. Maximum of 10 participants you supply the venue. Apples is the default fruit, but can be presented for other fruits.

See below for courses you can join as an individual.

Cosby 5 hour Grafting Workshop- for individuals

 Five hour workshops February 2027 Includes an apple tasting session. Take home 2 trees 930 for 10 am start £50 (tbc)

Talks on Leicestershire Heritage Apples

An hour long talk, followed by questions on  the Leicestershire Heritage apple project. From £75 plus 45p per mile.



 

Top working/Family Tree Workshop


2 1/2 hours, to address how to top work or create a family tree. Apples, Pears or stone fruits addressed. Bring your own tree. Scion will be available £50 per person. In person or online joining.


Enquire

Managing or rejuvenating your orchard


2 hour talk in person for groups, also offered online. £35 per person for group bookings please enquire.


Enquire

Pruning Course (Practical)


Learn how to prune and rejuvenate your apple tree.

During this course we look at how to  establish various apple shapes and general annual pruning of trees.


Collection of scion wood of addressed. Includes our booklet on pruning methods so you don't need to try & remember it all.


Group bookings only. Please enquire for 2027   email


Individuals can book on the following course for 2027 at  Amber Valley Vineyards

Top Working and Family Tree course



Courses to groups and individuals to top work to change an old unliked tree to a new variety or varieties or to make a space saving family tree.


Enquiry



Join a Grafting course


Leicestershire near Sileby Feb 2027 10am & 3pm (only if 10am is full)    email


Amber Valley Vineyards Derbyshire 2026   details


Cosby 2027   Email


Some places available on all courses currently

Join a Pruning course


Derbyshire 2027 at  Amber Valley Vineyards

Talks

In person or via Zoom, hosted by our account, Zoom is free to join

Talks

Talk Leicestershire Heritage Apples

Offered online zoom meeting for your group, we have a full professional account so your members can join in free of charges £75 for the talk to groups or look out for our join as an individual on scheduled talks. Payment by Bank transfer only at this time.

Talk Cider & Cyser

An introduction to making cider and cyser (apple mead) for groups £50 or look out for our join as an individual talks. Payment by Bank transfer only at this time.

Zoom Grafting Course

Learn about grafting your own apple or pear trees  . Available in February and March. Minimum 2 people per date.  Course for 2 is £90 includes two rootstocks each & a selection of rare scions,  (Including Leicestershire, Cider, red fleshed or Perry Pears) and grafting kit sent by post/courier.  Dates by arrangement to suit you. Contact us to book a date. Single participants may be added to courses £50 if booking separately. 

Grafting kit video Course Overview Video

Grafting talk

In this talk we look at the theory behind grafting and practice on pieces of wood. It can take place at any time & will equip you to graft your own trees, but no materials are supplied. Also suitable for those outside the UK who can supply their own materials. Look out for dates here or contact us to bo0k a session. 2 hour session, with practice. £35 per person, minimum 2 per session, can be in different households, eg families, clubs, friends etc.

2022 Completed courses write ups here

Apple Juicing days

A chance to make use of all those apples you grow. 
Turn them into juice to pasteurise or brew 
to cider or cyser. These take place in the Autumn

Brewing with Apples

Learn about brewing cider and Cyser in this talk and tasting session.  From £75 plus 45p per mile.
LHAP refund policy. Course and talk bookings. 

A full refund will be given if cancelled within 14 days of booking and payment, unless the 14 days falls within 4 weeks of the course or talk. After 14 days from the booking but before 4 weeks from the course or talk 50% refunded will be given. Cancellations within 4 weeks of the course or talk are non refundable, but individual bookings may swap to another date subject to availability, or sell the course to another person. Should we have a waiting list for a course we will offer a place to that person, and if we can sell your place we will refund your payment minus 25% admin fees. Group course bookings are non refundable within 4 weeks of the course. Where material have been attained for a group course after booking but prior to 4 weeks there will be an non refundable charge for all incurred expenses.

LHAP Covid policy for talks & Courses

Please do not attend if showing symptoms of Covid.  Dynamic risk assessments will be in place.

Courses  If Government restrictions are in place at the time of the course we will need to adhere to them. If there is a local or National Lockdown at the time of the course participants can join an online course or hold their ticket until the next physical course

Talks Please advise us  of your groups Covid policy when booking.   If Government restrictions are in place at the time of the talk we will need to adhere to them. If there is a local or National Lockdown at the time of the talk we can give the talk online via zoom.  

Leicestershire Heritage Apple Project

The Leicestershire Heritage Apple project promotes, re-discovers and grows Apples which are unique to Leicestershire. We have been established for over 18 years . We give talks on the project. Grafting workshops and workshops on using apples in different ways from juice to cider, and preserves to drying. We can assist in helping set up community orchards and we supply Leicestershire trees. We are a not for profit group with all profits going back into the group work and research. The talks and workshops are the main funder for the project.  
Discover more about the project
Buy Leicestershire Apples

Gallery

Some of our Leicestershire Apples

Testimonials

In person Courses Derbyshire


Mel and Dave’s two courses, grafting and pruning, were both excellent. With just the right combination of theory and practical application, I left feeling far more confident in completing both of these tasks in my newly planted orchard. Mel and Dave are friendly and approachable, eager to answer any questions and passionate about everything orchards. I would highly recommend their courses, whether you are new to orchards or growing and caring for them, or in need of a refresher. Thank you for two fantastic days.



Daniel Derbyshire

Online Grafting Course


I would thoroughly recommend this course. It is informative, you get to learn a skill and it is fun. Best of all after the course you have two grafted Leicestershire Heritage apples to care for and watch as they bud and grow into heritage apple trees. It is extremely satisfying and a little addictive. I will be back for more.


Nat Leicester

A massive thank you for asking me to be part of the trial of the online session. I found it incredibly informative and fun to do with very clear instruction. It's a delicate process but easily followed with your careful and clear direction. I am now the proud owner of a Queen Caroline and a Prince Charles apple graft.


Caroline Leicestershire


Online Course

We already have a few cider apple trees, but have ambitions in the future of perhaps planting a more substantial orchard. With this in mind, we booked onto the apple grafting course run by the Leicestershire Heritage Apple Project in early 2020 for their ‘hands on’ course in early 2021. The COVID epidemic prevented this from taking place, but we  were given the offer from Mel of doing it by Zoom. Initially hesitant, as we weren’t sure how easy it would be to learn as an online course - we decided to give it a go and am so glad we did.

 

The first step was to pick the apple trees we wanted to grow from the huge range offered. Cuttings of these were then sent out to us by post with the 4 MM106 root stocks. We then had a really excellent 3 hour personalised practical session with Mel and Dave teaching us 2 methods of grafting which were easy to pick up and be taken through online. We felt that we got to grips with the technique over the space of 3 hours with lots of time to watch, do, ask questions, and be tutored one to one.

 

Our thanks to Mel in particular for running our course and for her personalised attention.

 

Claire & Gavin

In person grafting course

“Despite being an enthusiastic Master Composter, I’m mostly a low maintenance home gardener. So it was a real treat to attend such a well run and informed heritage apple grafting workshop on 25th Feb in St Hughes, Market Harborough.  

Mel and Nigel were so helpful and patient with my very novice questions. The two hours were a good mix of theory and hands on with the bonus of me building two baby apple trees of my own to take away and plant out!

The event was well attended with a good mix of gardening experience and interests. It was excellent value for money .

I’m keeping a watch over my two tiny trees (Marriage Maker and Langton Nonesuch) which are in a large well drained container full of home made compost and will report back on progress to Mel and Nigel later in the year.”“
David:-Market Harborough
LHAP on Radio Leicester March 16th 2018
 ”
Listen to the broadcast
. 
In person talk

“ Mel's enthusiasm and ability to engage with the audience really brought Leicestershire's heritage apples to life. Few in the Wolds Historical Organisation audience had much prior knowledge of this topic, but all we came away with many insights into the history and propagation of these trees. No hesitation recommending Mel as a speaker. Indeed the WHO will be inviting her back to talk about something completely different!.”
Wolds Historical Organisation

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