Blessing the apple trees
Wassailing an apple tree is a custom which goes back centuries, and many places across the country where cider is produced have been reviving the tradition in recent years. Wassailing traditionally happens around Old Twelfth Night which this year fell on 17 January. It involves blessing apple orchards to make sure that every year the apple trees produce a good crop. The word itself comes from the Old Norse and is a greeting meaning ‘good health’. Fiona Clampin went along to the village of Stoke Gabriel in the area of Devon known as the South Hams to see how they prepare for the big event.
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