Cider was made at Brook Farm many years ago. Long standing Wigmore residents can remember empty oak barrels soaking in a dam in the brook during the summer to keep them watertight, Cider making at Brook Farm stopped probably in the 1960's, and to my knowledge, no more cider was made here until the 1990's.

It was not my life-long ambition to become a cider maker, but after moving to Brook Farm, it seemed a waste to let the sheep eat all the cider apples in the orchard, so I decided to make a few gallons the following year. One thing led to another and well, you know how it is... Brook Farm currently produces around one thousand gallons of traditional cider and perry annually. The main orchard here was planted with standard apple trees (full size trees, not new-style bush varieties) probably well over 100 years ago. I have a photograph of St. James' Church, Wigmore taken from the top of the orchard in the late 1930's showing in the foreground an apple tree growing at an alarming angle. The tree is still there, somewhat thicker in girth, but still at the same angle, and still producing excellent cider fruit.

Apple Pressing in Leintwardine 2002

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for others in the orchard and a programme of replanting has been taking place. All the new trees are standards too, ensuring the timeless rural face of Herefordshire remains. It will take several years for these new trees to produce sufficient fruit, so additional apples are sourced from selected local orchards.