MID
KENT
DOWNS
ORCHARDS
PROJECT
‘FROM BUD TO
BEAKER’
Schools Project
The Mid Kent Downs Orchards Project is supported by HLF (Heritage Lottery Fund), LEADER + (part funded by the EAGGF of the EU, DEFRA and SEEDA)
Kent Downs AONB Sustainable Development Fund, Kent County Council, Maidstone Borough Council and Swale Borough Council, .
The project is managed by the Mid Kent Downs Project accommodated by Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Unit
‘FROM BUD TO BEAKER’
Teacher’s Notes
This schools project, ‘From Bud to Beaker’ offers primary school children enormous
opportunities to study a traditionally managed orchard as the basis for considerable
and relevant on-going curriculum work in the classroom.
It encourages children to observe and record the development of
fruit in the orchard through to the production of juice. With the
use of student worksheets in this pack the project seeks to stimulate
children in the investigation and development of their ideas by
working both in groups and individually.
Note: This project includes information for teachers and questions for the pupils to
consider and a power point presentation for the white board.
Pippa Palmar
Mid Kent Downs Orchard Officer
West Barn, Penstock Hall Farm
East Brabourne
Ashford
Kent. TN25 5LL
Tel: 01303 815170
Email: [email protected]
www.kentdowns.org.uk
TRADITIONAL
ORCHARDS
Traditional Orchards are a distinctive
feature in the local landscape. They
can be recognised by the wide
planting distance of large majestic
trees of old and often scarce varieties
on a standard rootstock. Old
traditional orchards are those which
can be at least fifty years of age and
often consist of apple, pear, cherry,
plum, damson as well as cobnut.
CHURCH LANE ORCHARD, STOCKBURY
These orchards provide a valuable habitat for flora and fauna e.g. woodpeckers and owls, often
supporting rare species of insects. Now the true value of these neglected traditional orchards as a
landscape feature is just being realised, instigating the restoration of those surviving traditional orchards
which will help to conserve our local heritage and support biodiversity. Today many people are choosing
to plant new traditionally managed orchards. Traditional grazing by sheep encourages a more extensive
wild flower population than that found in modern commercial orchards.
MODERN COMMERCIAL ORCHARDS
Commercial production of fruit has
changed dramatically over the last
fifty years with the mass grubbing of
less viable traditional orchards
leaving just a few scattered
throughout the countryside.
Modern commercial orchards are
typified by small trees at close
planting spaces managed intensively
without the traditional sight of
sheep grazing beneath the boughs.
CHERRY COLLECTION, BROGDALE
IDEAS FOR ACTIVITY 1
THE COMMUNITY ORCHARD
Visit fruit trees in your school garden or your Community orchard in your village.
1. How old are the trees in your community orchard?
This can be determined by counting the rings on a cut through trunk of a tree if you can find one. Most
of the traditional community orchards in this project are at least 50 – 70 years old.
2. Are they big trees, how tall do you think they are?
Some of the trees can reach between 9 – 12 metres (30 – 40 feet)
3. How far apart are they growing?
Traditional trees are usually planted between 8 metres to 12 metres apart. Commercial orchards are
planted at a much smaller spacing in the row often 1.5 – 2 metres and between the rows 3.5 – 4.5 metres.
4. Are they growing in straight lines?
5. Do you know what this type of orchard is called? (i.e. traditional or commercial)
6. What type of fruit grows on them?
APPLE
CHERRY
PEAR
PLUM
COBNUT
7. Do you know what varieties you may find in the orchard?
8. Why do you think so many different varieties were grown?
Consider locality (local varieties), weather (frost vulnerability), durability (transportation to market), storage
(opportunities to store) and personal preference.
Traditional Fruit Varieties
Apple
Beauty of Bath
Worcester Pearmain
James Grieve
Early Victoria
Grenadier
Cox’s Orange Pippin
Blenheim Orange
Bramley Seedling
Cherry
Frogmore Bigarreau
Napoleon Bigarreau
Early Rivers
Bradbourne Black
Black Tartarian
Amber Heart,
Gaucher Bigarreau
Morello
Pear
Doyenne du Comice
Conference
Williams’ Bon-Chretien
Catillac
Dr Jules Guyot
Emile d’Heyst
Pitmaston Duchess
Plum
Rivers’ Prolific
The Czar
Victoria
Old Greengage
Kent Bush
Frogmore
Damson
Monarch
Cobnut
Kentish Cob
Cosford
Butler
Gunslebert
IDEAS FOR ACTIVITY 2
THE FRUIT YEAR
Consider how the fruit tree changes through the year from blossom to leaf fall
These pictures show twigs on a fruit tree at different times of the year.
FLOWER BUD
HONEY BEE
ON FLOWER
BUD BURST
EARLY FRUIT
FORMATION
FLOWER BURST
GREEN FRUIT
FULL FLOWER
CHERRIES
1. Have you seen these stages in the orchard?
2. Can you match the sentences with the correct picture?
In winter, the buds are already formed on the twigs.
When the temperature rises in the spring the buds burst open.
Blossom flowers are open and the bees visit them.
Small fruitlets appear.
The fruits swell and grow until they are ripe and ready to be picked.
Encourage the children to observe and record fruit trees at different times of the year. The class could
survey the number and type of insects visiting the blossom in the spring.
Encourage the children to predict answers to the questions and to suggest further ideas which they could
investigate. Possible questions might be:
1. Compare the size and shape of different varieties of cherry or other fruit?
2. Does the size of cherry stones vary in the same varieties of cherry?
3. Look at other cherry varieties; are the stones different sizes and different shapes?
IDEAS FOR ACTIVITY 3
POLLINATION
Pollination is needed for the production of fruit.
Can you draw a picture of a flower with a bee visiting it?
Petal
Stigma
Anther
Stamen
(Contains the pollen)
Filament
Style
(Holds the
anther)
Ovary
Petal
Ovule
Calyx
(All the sepals)
Sepal
(Small leaves
under flower)
Pedicel
(Stem)
Fruitlets appear only on those flowers when bees and other visiting insects have brushed pollen from
another variety onto the stigma of the flowers. The pollen then passes down through the style into the
ovary. The ovule is the reproductive cell which will become the seed when fertilised by pollen. Wind
can also blow the pollen onto the stigma. When this happens we say the flower has been pollinated and
a fruit will grow with seeds in it.
Some varieties of fruit are self fertile but most are not. In an orchard there needs to be at least two
different varieties of the same fruit and with some apples such as Bramley there must be three different
varieties of apples so that pollination can take place.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Look in the orchard at the flowers about 4 weeks after the blossom has died what do you see?
Can you see the small fruit forming?
How big are the fruit that are forming?
How many fruitlets are there in a bunch?
What fruit do you think they are?
What colour do you think the fruit will be when it ripens?
Why do trees have fruits?
The fruit is the way the tree carries its seeds. The seeds can now be planted and grow into new plants
and so produce more fruit.
IDEAS FOR ACTIVITY 4
FRUIT PICKING
Fruit has its season, but not all fruits ripen at the same time. This means the fruit picking season lasts from
June to the end of October depending on what fruit you are picking. Often a good indicator of ripeness
is that the fruit is juicy when sampled.
Cherries are picked in June and July, plums are picked from July to September and apples, pears and
cobnuts are picked from August to October. Pickers must work carefully so that they do not squash or
bruise the fruit. Cherries, plums and cobnuts are picked carefully into kibsey baskets and apples and pears
are picked into specially designed picking buckets.
APPLES
CHERRIES
PEARS
PLUMS
COBNUT
Can you draw a picture of the fruit on the tree?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What do you think the baskets looked like when they were picking this orchard 50 years ago?
What do you think the pickers wore and why?
What do you think the fruit is picked into today?
Why do you think that the containers have changed?
How much do you think the baskets weighed when they were full or how many apples and
cherries would it take to fill them?
APPLE PICKING BASKET
(Used 50 years ago)
CHERRY KIBSEY BASKET
(Used 50 years ago and today)
APPLE PICKING BUCKET
(Used today)
The fruit from a traditional orchard is picked from a long ladder which is placed high in the crook of a
branch in the tree. Many years ago this was placed in the tree by the ladder boy or ladder mover who
was in charge of the safety of the pickers.
Traditional cherry ladders were long and tapered at
the top with the base being heavy giving stability.
The ladders length is indicated by the number of
rungs. These can range from twenty five up to sixty
five rungs. The sides of the ladders were made from
sweet chestnut, pine or spruce, seasoned oak or
beech was used for the rungs.
In modern commercial orchards the cherries now are
grown on a dwarfing rootstock called Gisela 5, most
of the fruit can be picked by pickers on the ground.
CHERRY PICKING IN THE ORCHARD
CIRCA 1930-40’S
Sometimes a tripod ladder is used to reach the top of
the tree. More recently growers are protecting their cherry crops from the rain and birds by growing
under poly tunnels or covers for short periods as the straw coloured young fruit starts to ripen.
Ideas which the children might consider;
• The difficulties and dangers of picking apples from huge trees
• The best shape for growing and tending the tree, and harvesting the fruit
HOW TO PICK THE FRUIT
When three to six months have passed from flowering it is then time to pick the fruit.
Hold the fruit gently in the hand and lift it upwards where the natural join is in the stalk or the strig. The
fruit should come away at that joint. Apples are often easier to pick than cherries. Do not pull since the
fruit could come away with out the stalk or strig and the fingers will leave bruise marks on the fruit which
will then deteriorate rapidly.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
What time of the year is it and what type of fruit can you find in your community orchard?
Does it look ripe and what colour is it?
Watch how the fruit is picked and then see if you can pick it.
Are there lots of fruit growing together?
Can you see any difference in the length of stalk between varieties?
Can you see any difference in the shape and colour of the different varieties?
All of these characteristics are used with others to determine the different varieties.
IDEAS FOR ACTIVITY 5
FRUIT TASTING
After three to six months of
SWEET
growing now is the time to taste the
SHARP
SOUR
fruit.
Encourage children to add to the
descriptive words on the flavour
AROMATIC
NUTTY
APPLE
CHERRY
PEAR
PLUM
wheel.
Bring as many varieties to the class
as you can and let the children
LEMONY
SPICY
examine, smell and taste them.
MUSTY
SYRUPY
Take the utmost care over hygiene
when children are tasting apples,
cherries, pears and plums in the
classroom. Ensure all fruit is washed before tasting. Dispose of any waste material carefully. Make sure
the fruit is in perfect condition (no rotting areas or earwigs).
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What flavours can you taste?
Do you like the flavour?
Is the fruit juicy?
Does it have pips or stones?
How many pips or stones does the fruit have?
Consider putting together a colour wheel and ask the children to select the different colours they can see
in the fruit. This will then help them to mix colours if they want to paint a picture of the fruit.
IDEAS FOR ACTIVITY 6
FRUIT JUICE
What can we do with the fruit once it is harvested?
There are numerous opportunities to use the fruit in many different dishes.
Alternatively fruit can be pressed to produce a drink. A fruit press will squeeze
pound upon pound of fruit and generate gallons of delicious juice which can be
drunk immediately. Fresh home-made juice tastes far better than most massproduced commercial juices, many of which are made from reconstituted
imported concentrates.
Each apple/cherry variety can produce a different flavour so it’s good to
experiment with different varieties and blends.
How do we produce fruit juice?
Once you have collected your fruit from the orchard, make sure it is clean and
there are no signs of decay or mould.
The main process in
juice production
There are two stages in juice
production depending on
what type of fruit is being
used;
• first the fruit may need
crushing before pressing
• secondly the juice is
pressed from the crushed
fruit, collected and
bottled
1. What shape is the fruit?
2. How large is the fruit?
3. How many apples or cherries do you think you need for
one bottle of juice?
Apples and pears need crushing to give pomace (a grated
consistency) this will make it easier to extract the juice. Cherries
will need de-stoning so the stones do not block the slits or filters
in the press. Freezing and then thawing the apples before
pounding will make the job
easier. Crushing is essential
because a body of unbroken fruit presents a great resistance to
pressure (even hydraulically powered commercial cider presses are
fed with finely milled apples). Cutting apples into slices is not
sufficient.
Food processors and liquidisers
produce too fine a puree for pressing.
CHERRY DE-STONER
FRUIT PRESSES
The simplest of presses such as the Vigo press or a more traditional press could be used. Once the fruit has
been crushed, the pomace or pulp can then be placed in the press.
SMALL HOME APPLE PRESS
The pomace is placed in the press and pressed by a wooden piston
putting pressure on the fruit forcing juice out through the slits in
the wooden cage These slits are called staves. The closeness of
these staves reduces the escape of pomace, pips and skin and a
mesh filter can be used to further reduce the amount of solids in
the juice.
Look at the press
1. Can you see the slits in the small side press?
2. Weigh the fruit to check how much you have placed in
the press.
3. Can you turn the handle to press the juice out?
4. Do you need a lot of strength?
5. How long does it take until the last drop of juice is
squeezed from the pomace?
As the fruit is being pressed the juice flows onto the base plate of the press and out through the lip into a
jug, bowl or bucket. This can be drunk straight away.
1.
2.
3.
4.
What colour is the juice?
Is the juice clear or cloudy?
How much juice has been collected in the jug.
Can you work out how many fruit you need to press to make a bottle of juice?
It will take about thirteen apples to make a bottle of juice
5. How many apples will you need to make you a beaker of juice?
6. What does the juice taste like?
(Refer to the flavour wheel, the children may like to add their own flavours.)
7. Try different varieties of fruit and compare their flavours, which do you like best?
Once the pomace has been pressed dry the press can be unwound and the dry pomace removed. The
pressed pomace can be composted or fed to livestock.
1. What type of livestock do you think would like to eat this pomace? (Think about pigs)
TRADITIONAL COMMERCIAL APPLE PRESSES
Traditional commercial presses consist of a green oak seasoned hardwood frame with a large single or
twin press, press racks, press cloths called cheeses and a chuter tray
in which the juice is collected and then funnelled into a jug or
collecting container. These presses are often used for extracting
juice for the purpose of making cider.
The Vigo Rack & Cloth Press needs around a sack of apples for each
pressing. A 25kg sack of apples will produce about 30 bottles
of juice.
TO PRESS THE JUICE
•
Put a container under the outlet hole of the press bed since
juice will start to flow from the pomace or pulp even before
the screw is tightened down.
VIGO RACK AND CLOTH PRESS
•
Press Cloth
or
Cheese
Place a rack on the stainless steel bed of the press, then the
former (a square sided tray with out a bottom), and finally a
cloth diagonally so that the corners can be folded over into a
Pomace or pulp
•
square.
The pomace is placed in the cloth and the corners are now
folded over to give a neat square and the former removed.
The second rack can now be put on top of the full cloth.
•
Repeat this process until you have six filled cloths (cheeses),
making sure they are reasonably straight or they will press
unevenly when pressure is applied.
•
Place the heavy wooden top block onto the pomace ensuring
the metal plate on the top lines up with the screw. Pressure
can now be exerted with the screw.
•
A long slow pressing over the course of several hours will result in more juice being extracted.
MID KENT DOWNS ORCHARDS PROJECT
From Bud to Beaker
Schools Project – National Curriculum Key Objectives
ACTIVITY
KEY STAGE
KEY OBJECTIVES/LEARNING OUTCOMES
Overall Project
Science\KS1\Sc2\5a
Science\KS1\Sc2\4b
Science\KS1\ Breadth
of Study\1a
Science\KS1\ Breadth
of Study\1c
Science\KS1\ Breadth
of Study\2a
Science\KS2\Sc1\2f
Science\KS2\Sc1\2l
Find out about the different kinds of plants and animals in the local environment
Group living things according to observable similarities and differences
Knowledge, skills and understanding through a range of domestic and environmental
contexts that are familiar and of interest to them
Knowledge, skills and understanding through a range of sources of information and data,
including ICT-based sources
Communication – use appropriate scientific language and terms to communicate ideas and
to name and describe living things, materials, phenomena and processes
Make systematic observation and measurements, including the use of ICT data logging
Use their scientific knowledge and understanding to explain observations, measurements or
other data of conclusions
Use observations, measurements or other data to draw conclusions
That the variety of plants and animals makes it important to identify them and assign them
to groups
About the different plants and animals found in different habitats
How animals and plants in two different habitats are suited to their environment
To use food chains to show feeding relationships in a habitat
Exploring a range of starting points for practical work (for example, themselves, their
experiences, stories, natural and made objects and the local environment)
Working on their own, and collaborating with others, on projects in two and tree
dimensions and on different scales
Using a range of materials and processes (for example, painting, collage, print making,
digital media, textiles, sculpture)
Investigate and combine visual and tactile qualities of materials and processes and to match
these qualities to the purpose of the work
Using a range of materials and processes, including ICT (for example, painting, collage, print
making, digital media , textiles, sculpture)
Science\KS2\Sc1\2j
Science\KS2\Sc2\4c
Science\KS2\Sc2\5b
Science\KS2\Sc2\5c
Science\KS2\Sc2\5d
A & D\KS1\Breadth
of Study\5a
A & D\KS1\ Breadth
of Study\5b
A & D\KS1\Breadth
of Study\5c
A & D\KS2\KS&U\2a
A & D\KS2\KS&U\5c
1
ACTIVITY
Overall Project
KEY STAGE
D & T\KS1\Breadth
of Study\5a
D & T\KS1\Breadth
of Study\5b
D & T\KS1\ KS&U\1e
D & T\KS1\ KS&U\1d
D & T\KS1\ KS&U\1c
D & T\KS1\ KS&U\1b
D & T\KS2\ KS&U\1d
Investigating and evaluating a range of familiar products
Focused practical tasks that develop a range of techniques, skills processes and knowledge
Science\KS2\Sc2\4c
Communicate their ideas using a variety of methods, including drawing and making models
Plan by suggesting what to do next as their ideas develop
Talk about their ideas
Develop ideas by shaping materials and putting together components
Communicate design ideas in different ways as these develop, bearing in mind aesthetic qualities, and
the uses and purposes for which the product is intended
Plan what they have to do, suggesting a sequence of actions and alternatives, if needed
Develop ideas and explain them clearly, putting together a list of what they want their design to
achieve
Generate ideas for products after thinking about who will use them and what they will be used for,
using information from a number of sources, including ICT-based sources
Pupils should be taught that it is important to collect evidence by making observations and
measurements when trying to answer a question
Use first-hand experience and simple information sources to answer questions
Communicate what happened in a variety of ways including ICT (for example, in speech and writing,
by drawings, tables, block graphs and pictograms)
Explore using the senses of sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste as appropriate, and make and record
observations and measurements
Make simple comparisons (for example, hand span, shoe size) and identify simple patterns or
associations
Make systematic knowledge and understanding to explain observations, measurements or other data or
conclusions
That the variety of plants and animals makes it important to identify them and assign them to groups
A & D\KS1\KS&U\1a
A & D\KS1\KS&U\4a
Record from first-hand observation, experience and imagination, and explore ideas
Visual and tactile elements, including colour, pattern and texture, line and tone, shape, form and space
A & D\KS2\KS&U\1a
Record from experience and imagination, to select and record from first-hand observation and to
explore ideas for different purposes
D & T\KS2\ KS&U\1c
D & T\KS2\ KS&U\1b
D & T\KS2\ KS&U\1a
The Community
Orchard & Activity 1
KEY OBJECTIVES/LEARNING OUTCOMES
Science\KS1\Sc1\1
Science\KS1\Sc1\2b
Science\KS1\Sc1\2g
Science\KS1\Sc1\2f
Science\KS1\Sc1\2h
Science\KS2\Sc1\2f
2
ACTIVITY
KEY STAGE
The Fruit Year and
Activity 2
Science\KS1\Sc2\1c
To relate life processes to animals and plants found in the local environment
Science\KS1\Sc1\2b
Use first-hand experience and simple information sources to answer questions
Science\KS1\Sc1\2f
Explore using the senses of sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste as appropriate, and make and record
observations and measurements
Science\KS2\Sc2\5e
About how nearly all food chains start with a green plant
Science\KS2\Sc2\1b
That the life processes common to plants include growth, nutrition and reproduction
Science\KS2\Sc2\1c
To make links between life processes in familiar animals and plants and the environments in which they
are found
Science\KS1\ Breadth
of Study\2a
Communication – use appropriate scientific language and terms to communicate ideas and to name and
describe living things, materials, phenomena and processes
A & D\KS1\KS&U\1a
Record from first-hand observation, experience and imagination, and explore ideas
A & D\KS1\KS&U\4a
Visual and tactile elements, including colour, pattern and texture, line and tone, shape, form and space
A & D\KS1\KS&U\2c
Represent observations, ideas and feelings, and design and make images and artefacts
Science\KS1\Sc1\2g
Communicate what happened in a variety of ways including ICT (for example, in speech and writing,
by drawings, tables, block graphs and pictograms)
Science\KS1\Sc2\3c
That seeds grow into flowering plants
Science\KS1\Sc2\3b
To recognise and name the leaf, flower, stem and root of flowering plants
Science\KS2\Sc2\1b
That the life processes common to plants include growth, nutrition and reproduction
Science\KS2\Sc2\3d
About the parts of the flower (for example, stigma, stamen ,petal, sepal) and their role in the life cycle
of the flowering plants, including pollination , seed formation seed dispersal and germination
A & D\KS1\KS&U\2c
Represent observations, ideas and feelings, and design and make images and artefacts
A & D\KS1\KS&U\2b
Try out tools and techniques and apply these to materials and processes, including drawing
Pollination & Activity 3
KEY OBJECTIVES/LEARNING OUTCOMES
3
ACTIVITY
Fruit Picking &
Activity 4
Fruit Picking &
Activity 4
KEY STAGE
KEY OBJECTIVES/LEARNING OUTCOMES
Science\KS1\Sc1\2f
Explore, using the senses of sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste as appropriate, and make and record
observations and measurements
A & D\KS1\KS&U\2a
Investigate the possibilities of a range of materials and processes
A & D\KS1\KS&U\2c
Represent observations, ideas and feelings, and design and make images and artefacts
A & D\KS1\KS&U\2b
Try out tools and techniques and apply these to materials and processes, including drawing
A & D\KS2\KS&U\1c
Collect visual and other information (for example, images, materials)to help them develop their ideas,
including using a sketchbook
A & D\KS2\KS&U\2b
Apply their experience of materials and processes, including drawing, developing their control of tools
and techniques
A & D\KS2\KS&U\2a
Investigate and combine visual and tactile qualities of materials and processes and to match these
qualities to the purpose of the work
History\KS1\KS&U\2b Identify differences between ways of life at different times
History\KS1\Breadth
of study\6a
Changes in their own lives and the way of life of their family or others around them
History\KS1\Breadth
of study\6b
The way of life of people in the more distant past who lived in the local area or elsewhere in Britain
History\KS2\KS&U\1b Use dates and vocabulary relating to the passing of time, including ancient, modern, BC,AD century and
decade
Fruit Tasting &
Activity 5
History\KS2\Breadth
of study\7
A study investigating how an aspect in the local area has changed over a long period of time, or how
the locality was affected by a significant national or local event or development or by the work of a
significant individual
Science\KS1\Sc1\2f
Explore, using the senses of sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste as appropriate, and make and record
observations and measurements
Science\KS1\Sc1\2g
Communicate what happened in a variety of ways including ICT (for example, in speech and writing,
by drawings, tables, block graphs and pictograms)
4
ACTIVITY
Experiment
KEY STAGE
Science\KS1\Sc1\2f
Science\KS1\Sc1\2g
Fruit Juice &
Activity 6
KEY OBJECTIVES/LEARNING OUTCOMES
Explore, using the senses of sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste as appropriate, and make and record
observations and measurements
Communicate what happened in a variety of ways including ICT (for example, in speech and writing,
by drawings, tables, block graphs and pictograms)
Science\KS2\Sc1\2f
Make systematic knowledge and understanding to explain observations, measurements or other data or
conclusions
Science\KS2\Sc1\2h
Use a wide range of methods, including diagrams, drawings, tables , bar charts, line graphs and ICT, to
communicate data in a appropriate and systematic manner
Science\KS1\Sc1\2f
Explore using the senses of sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste as appropriate, and make and record
observations and measurements
D & T\KS2\ KS&U\1a
Generate ideas for products after thinking about who will use them and what they will be used for,
using information from a number of sources, including ICT-based sources
D & T\KS1\ KS&U\2f
Follow safe procedures for food and safety and hygiene
D & T\KS1\ KS&U\3c
Talk about their ideas and say what they like and dislike
D & T\KS2\ KS&U\2f
Follow safe procedures for food and safety and hygiene
D & T\KS1\Breadth
of Study\5a
Investigating and evaluating a range of familiar products ( for example, talking about how they work
and whether they do what they are supposed
D & T\KS1\Breadth
of Study\5c
D & T\KS1\Breadth
of Study\5b
Design and make assignments using a range of materials, including food, items that can be put together
to make products, and textiles
Focused practical tasks that develop a range of techniques, skills, processes and knowledge
The selection of Key objectives and learning outcomes listed above represent various activities which could be explored and undertaken in the Mid Kent Downs
Orchards Schools Project ‘From Bud to Beaker’.
DISCLAIMER
Whilst the Mid Kent Downs Orchards Project has endeavoured to ensure that all information contained within the Schools Project ‘From Bud to
Beaker’ is correct, it cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies within or problems arising out of the use of this project.
5
MID
KENT
DOWNS
ORCHARDS
PROJECT
‘FROM BUD TO
BEAKER’
Student Work Sheets
The Mid Kent Downs Orchards Project is supported by HLF (Heritage Lottery Fund), LEADER +
(part funded by the EAGGF of the EU, DEFRA and SEEDA),
Kent Downs AONB Sustainable Development Fund, Kent County Council, Maidstone Borough Council and Swale Borough Council.
The project is managed by the Mid Kent Downs Project accommodated by Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Unit
TRADITIONAL ORCHARDS
Traditional orchards are a unique feature in the local landscape.
They can be recognised by the wide planting distance of very large
old trees and often scarce varieties. Old traditional orchards are
those which could be at least fifty years old and often consist of
apple, pear, cherry, plum, damson and cobnuts.
These orchards provide valuable
surroundings for plants and animals also known as flora and fauna e.g.
, lichens and
. Now the true value of
these abandoned traditional orchards as a landscape feature is just being realised,
instigating the restoration of those surviving traditional orchards which will help to
protect our local heritage and look after the rare plants and animals.
Traditional grazing by sheep encourages a more widespread wild flower population than
that found in modern commercial orchards.
MODERN COMMERCIAL ORCHARDS
Commercial production of fruit has changed dramatically over the
last fifty years with the mass grubbing of traditional orchards
which were not making the farmer any money leaving just a few
scattered throughout the countryside. The characteristics of a
modern commercial orchard are small trees planted very close
together managed intensively.
In these orchards you will not see
grazing
beneath the boughs because they will damage the trees by eating the bark of the trunks and eating the
branches.
In both the traditional
and commercial orchards
you will find bees and bee
hives and these are
required for pollination of the flowers to produce the fruit.
THE COMMUNITY ORCHARD
Visit fruit trees in your school garden or your community orchard in your village.
1. How old are the trees in your community orchard?
To find out how old the trees are in the orchard count the
on a cut through trunk of a tree as seen in the picture
opposite if you can find one. Many of the old traditional community orchards are
at least 50 – 70 years old. The tree opposite is at least 21 years old.
2. Are they big trees, how tall do you think they are?
3. How far apart are they growing?
Count the number of your strides paced between two trees. Measure the length of your stride. Multiply the
number of strides by the length of
your stride.
Number of strides
Length of stride
in metres
=
Distance between
trees in metres
Traditional trees are usually planted between 8 metres to 12 metres apart.
4. Is your community orchard a traditional or commercial orchard?
5. What type of fruit grows on them?
Apple
Cherry
Pear
Plum
Cobnut
6. Do all of the fruit look the same in the orchard?
If the fruit are all cherry but they look different, for example some are
and some are
or even
in colour, this means that there are probably several
varieties in the orchard.
7. Guess how many different varieties there maybe in the orchard?
8. Why do you think so many different varieties were grown?
Here are a few reasons why there may be different varieties in the orchard. Think about the locality, some of
these varieties may have been bred in your area. What is the weather like during flowering time where the
orchard is sited? Do you think the fruit will transport well to market?
9. Does the fruit all ripen at the same time?
Write a poem describing the orchard and weather at flowering time.
THE FRUIT YEAR
Look at the fruit tree and observe how it changes through the year from blossom to leaf fall. Look out for the
development stages in the pictures below.
1. Flower Bud
2. Bud Burst
3. Full Flower
4. Honey Bee
on Flower
5. Green Fruit
1. Can you match these sentences with the correct stages in the pictures?
STAGES IN THE FRUIT YEAR
In winter, the buds are already formed on the twigs ……….
Blossom flowers are open and the bees visit them ………………
Small fruitlets appear green ……………………………………………………….
The fruit swells until it is ripe and ready to be picked …….
STAGE
6. Cherries
POLLINATION
Pollination is needed for the production of fruit. Fruitlets appear when bees and other visiting insects have
brushed pollen collected from the flowers anthers and brushed onto the stigma of other flowers.
The
carry the yellow pollen on their legs. The pollen then passes down through a tube in the
style into the ovary of the flower. The ovule is the reproductive cell which will become the seed when it is
fertilised by the pollen. Wind can also blow the pollen onto the stigma. When this happens we say the flower
has been pollinated and a fruit will grow with seeds in it. When the seeds are planted they will grow into new
plants and produce more fruit.
1.
Can you draw a bee visiting this flower on
this picture?
2.
Can you label the parts of the flower?
FRUIT PICKING
Fruit has its season, but not all fruits ripen at the same time.
Cherries are picked in June and July,
September
and apples,
are picked from July to
and
cobnuts are picked
from August to October.
Often a good indicator of ripeness is that the fruit is juicy when sampled.
1.
Have you seen ladders used by pickers in your local orchard,
do they have two legs of three legs?
Ladders with two legs are traditional long tapered cherry
picking ladders which have been used for hundreds of years.
2.
How many rungs were there on the
ladder?
CHERRY PICKING IN THE ORCHARD
CIRCA 1930-40’S
a picture of the fruit found on the trees in your nearest orchard. Think about
the texture of the skin; is it smooth or rough, shiny or dull? Consider using lots of different
and coloured
materials.
FRUIT TASTING
Ensure all fruit is washed before tasting.
Dispose of any waste material carefully.
1. What flavours can you taste?
CHOOSE FIVE WORDS DESCRIBING
TASTE FROM THE TABLE BELOW AND
PLACE THEM IN THE FLAVOUR WHEEL
SWEET
GRASS
ALMOND
SALT
LEMONY
BLACKCURRANT
SPICY
MUSTY
PINEAPPLE
BUTTERY
NUTTY
SYRUPY
SHARP
BITTER
EXPERIMENT
Apparatus
A black and a white cherry or apple juice in two different flavours.
Method
Taste both samples of fruit or juice separately and record by ticking the boxes in the table
below which taste you preferred.
Results
My Results
Ist Choice
2nd Choice
Do not like
White Cherry
Black Cherry
Apple Juice A
Apple Juice B
Now add together all the results for the class and fill the totals in the table below.
Class Results
White Cherry
Black Cherry
Apple Juice A
Ist Choice
2nd Choice
Do not like
Plot the class results on a graph; this could be a block graph or a pie chart.
Conclusion
Which colour cherry or apple juice did the majority of the class prefer?
Discuss why you think the class came to this result.
Apple Juice B