“What a joyful event, and so many new faces,” says Heather Seal, Wyck Forest Garden and Loughborough Farm session leader of this year’s Farm Wassail.
As ever, there was singing and dancing at this ancient tradition event (rooted in Anglo-Saxon and Celtic folklore) to bless the orchard; with warming apple juice, and soothing hot soup later at the farm’s sister Platform Cafe – thanks to the pre-wassail soup and set up crew including Sue, Nilgin, Ophelia, Steve and all who supported the event.
Heather explains the apple tree planted as part of the Wassail ritual was a graft taken at the farm in March 23, from an M9 rootstock dwarfing rootstock, “which means the tree stays small – under three metres. Last year, Robin (who does our grafting workshops), grafted some different apple varieties onto the same tree. This is called a family tree.”
With the planting and blessing of the tree we remembered our dear and treasured farm volunteer Jagat, who passed away in October 2025. Read more here.
It was great to welcome singer Phil as part of the wonderful Campaign for Real Wassail band this year. They joined stalwarts Molly, Elizabeth, Paul and Jacob on fiddle.
Says Elizabeth: “It was a great day at the farm, we’ve wassailed there for a decade and it was one of the best yet – we love seeing everyone and watching the orchard grow, getting together to dance and sing, stamp out the bad and bring in the good. Wass hail! Love C.A.M.R.W.”
Karen Hooper
