Crailing Community Orchard

Crailing Community Orchard is ODG's 'model' project. It is hoped that it will provide a working example for future community orchards in the Borders.

Crailing Orchard was once well known to the local community as part of a successful market garden business managed by Robert Wilson, aka 'Berry Bob'. Once a productive orchard that included apples, damsons, greengages and raspberries, Berry Bob supplied the area with fresh, seasonal produce.

When he retired in 1956, the market garden that ran alongside the river across the road was ploughed up, and the orchard left to its own devices. The fruit trees went unpruned and the orchard floor became overgrown with grass and weeds, including a very lush crop of comfrey. It wasn't all waste; foraging by the local community ensured that some of the fruit was used, if only to feed the local pigs!

In 2006, with support from Borders Forest Trust, ODG was able to negotiate a 25-year lease and management agreement with Lothian Estates, the owner of the orchard, so that it could be restored to its former glory.

Crailing is a traditional orchard with an important place in the historic landscape of the area; it supports a diversity of flora and fauna, something that we want to encourage and develop.

It has its own distinctive character and requirements; we bring knowledge and expertise to the task, and are learning through working in the orchard with other members of the community how to make Crailing thrive again.

Some of the old apple, damson and cherry plum trees, while in need of serious pruning and compost, are now beginning to produce abundant crops again.

The passing on of knowledge is the key to a thriving community. Work days at Crailing are great fun. People work hard, learn new skills, get pleasure from exercise outdoors and share food, thoughts, and stories. At the end of the season, there's fruit and honey to enjoy!