蜜芽传媒

Over a series of fields stretching out beneath the Mendip Hills, a brand new orchard is taking shape. Robin Markwell meets Martin and Eleanor Thatcher, fourth and fifth-generation cider makers, at their family farm in Somerset to see the planting taking place. The apples from these trees will eventually be used to make cider, but the saplings have some years of growing ahead of them first. Farm Manager, Chris Muntz Torres, explains to Robin why the quality of the soil is so important in giving these trees the best start in life, and why growing apples is a long-term endeavour.

Robin also visits another, more established orchard at the farm, which is home to hundreds of different varieties of apple trees saved from Long Ashton Research Station when it closed down. Whilst there, he hears about how the orchard is helping to inform the future of cider production.

Presented by Robin Markwell and produced by Jo Peacey.