News and Events

A Taste of Cloughjordan Ecovillage

MARKET AND FOOD STALLS I APPLE PRESSING I GAMES TALKS AND WORKSHOPS| TOURS AND APPLE BAKE CONTEST

Féile na nÚll, the annual community apple festival, is a delightful event that will take place in Cloughjordan Ecovillage on Saturday, 23rd September, starting at 1:00 pm. This festival promises a vibrant and engaging day filled with activities centered around the wonderful world of apples and community celebration.

At the heart of the festival is the apple pressing activities. Attendees are invited to gather their own apples, which will be transformed into delicious and freshly pressed apple juice (be sure to bring your own juice containers). This celebration of the fruit is not just about consumption but also about sustainability and making the most of local resources.

Market and food stalls will be set up, showcasing a diverse array of culinary delights, local produce, and handmade crafts. Whether you’re a food enthusiast or a curious shopper, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

An event within the event is the Apple Bake contest, where participants can showcase their culinary creativity by entering their best apple-based recipes. From pies to chutneys, this contest adds a competitive and delicious element to the festivities.

For those eager to expand their knowledge, a series of talks and tours will be held, covering topics related to sustainable living. These discussions provide an opportunity to engage with experts and gain insights into the principles and practices that make Cloughjordan Ecovillage a unique and progressive community.

Féile na nÚll is not just a celebration of apples; it’s a celebration of community, sustainability, creativity, and shared experiences. Whether you’re a food lover, a nature enthusiast, or simply looking for a fun and educational day out, this festival offers a little something for everyone. So mark your calendar, gather your apples, and join in the festivities at Cloughjordan Ecovillage.

Timetable

Saturday 23 September 1:00pm – 6:00pm 

WeCreate Workspace – Cloughjordan Ecovillage

Market and Food Stalls

Apple Pressing

The Night Orchard will be operating an apple press to make freshly pressed apple juice on the day.  The press is fully participatory and family friendly! Bring your own apples for pressing or gather them on the day from around the Ecovillage. Remember if you want to bring your juice home to bring containers to store your fresh juice (note the 2:1 ratio, with 10 kilos of apples producing 5 litres of juice – depending on variety). We will also have a bicycle powered juicer in operation for the more energetic to try!

Pressing is free, but donation are welcome.

1:00pm Opening Apple Bake Contest

Submissions – Bring your bake to WeCreate from 1:00pm – 3:00pm. Two categories –  a. Under 18s b. Home Bakers.

The announcement of the winners takes place at 5:00pm.

2:00pm Apple Drying Workshop

Explore apple drying techniques with Ollie Moore. Learn how to turn fresh apples into tasty dried snacks. (Food Hub)

2.30pm RED Gardens Tour

Join Bruce Darrell for a tour of the RED Gardens, a series of food growing spaces, located in the Ecovillage. Bruce manages the gardens and produces videos for his RED Gardens YouTube Channel based on the explorations and discoveries of the gardens. (RED Gardens)

2:30pm Community-Led Responses to the Climate and Ecological Emergency

This workshop will introduce two climate action projects based in Cloughjordan:  Local Climate Coaches and ‘Catalysing Change – Developing Centres of Excellence for Community Climate Action’, with Julie Lockett and Davie Philip.  Don’t miss this opportunity to connect and learn. (Upstairs WeCreate)

3:00pm Cloughjordan Ecovillage Tour

On the guided tour of Cloughjordan Ecovillage,  explore how we can live sustainably, without damaging or disrupting local ecosystems. The Ecovillage provides a unique vision for how the human community and natural biodiversity can flourish in harmony together. (Departing from WeCreate)

3:30pm A Short History of the Cloughjordan Apple Collection

With over 60 regional varieties of apple trees growing in the ecovillage nursery, thousands of trees were grafted in the nursery and planted throughout the estate in 2012. This talk with Kevin Dudley will explore the history of these apple trees.  (Cuan Beo)

4.00pm  ‘From Fruit to Commodity – How Capitalism is Transforming the Apple’

As we enjoy the varieties of Irish apples at Féile na nÚll and learn their many uses, we can overlook the ways our wider economic system is transforming their production and distribution. In this talk, Peadar Kirby shows how the humble apple has become one of the global economy’s principal commodities and what we are losing as a result. (Upstairs WeCreate)

5:00pm Results of the Apple Bake Contest

Announcement of the winners of the two categories. (Food Hub) 

6:00pm – Close

This is one of hundreds of events being held across Europe celebrating the European Day for Sustainable Communities.

https://communitiesforfuture.org/sustainable-communities/