This show has just gone from strength to strength, with the orchard
behind the former Little Chef full of displays ranging from Shelley Woodlanders
doing pole-lathing to beekeepers, various displays on apples and apple
products, apple pressing, Wiston Crafts, Fantasy Sticks, Fairtrade and WSCC
with their Rangers promoting wildlife and wildlife-friendly gardening.

This Apple Day was part of the Horsham Food and Drink Festival and
appeared in various publications, so no doubt this helped to boost the
attendance, with the car park full for most of the day. Lots of visitors also came
by bike, making good use of the Downs Link cycle path.

Chris decided that it would be a good idea to have a go at resurrecting
the steam-box project This new one had had some slight modifications, and
as opposed to being made from wood, was made of an old soil pipe, kindly
donated by Mr Stone. The purpose of the steam-box is to put in pieces of timber
, be it ash, hazel or chestnut, which need bending but would not do this
naturally without breaking.

The steam-box was set up and started to generate enough steam that
you may have thought the nearby railway line had re-opened! However, the
effect of this was to reshape the soil pipe instead! It worked in principle, and
during the winter and early spring, it is hoped that further modifications can be
made so that next year the steam-box can be used to its full effect
Meanwhile, Brian maintained a steady production line of bird feeders,
including one which is designed specifically to hold apples. One lasting
memory of this day was everyone's comments about the smell, no, not the
nearby septic tank that decided to malfunction on the day, but the wood-smoke
which Chris's fire was producing.

The previous show at West Grinstead. Wildlife Fun Day, gave Brian an
opportunity to take a candid picture of Geraldine Fewster, Low Weald Ranger,
riding a bike and pulling faces. We could not resist the temptation to display
said photograph on our stand!


- by Malcolm Knight