Winter is the time for tree pruning, and this year we have been concentrating on the orchards back at Netherham Farm. It's a never-ending job as the mistletoe removal we did 3 years ago is no longer evident, much has grown back to previous proportions. Mistletoe although a much-sought seasonal saucy sprig is in fact a pernicious parasite which embeds itself in the bark of the apple tree. Spread by birds and magic, my finger points shamelessly to chief sky rat - the humble Starling. While recognising that murmurations over the Somerset levels at roosting sites such as Ham Wall are right up there in the pantheon of natural wonders, a large flock of starlings can strip an orchard of its fruit in minutes and are potentially super spreaders of mistletoe. It would be fair to argue however that they are attracted to the levels in the first instance for the abundance of apple fruit in late November so should not be ignored as another spectacular reason to preserve apple growing on the Somerset levels.

To come back to mistletoe, its downside becomes apparent in the winter where the heavy weight of bundles high in the tree can act as a weighty sail during high winds and bring trees over. The apple is notoriously shallow rooted and the clay soils of the levels often become waterlogged during the winter increasing the risk of tree fall. A heavily affected tree can also become clogged with mistletoe leaving no space for leaf growth and sapping the tree’s resources. The sticky white berries it produces drop from clumps in high branches and embed themselves in fresh bark, there is some suggestion that in a heavily infected tree the parasite spores will move in the sap of the tree itself, causing a spread to all areas of the trunk. It is impossible to completely remove and can only be managed by cutting off affected limbs. Various methods can be pursued but we have found that a light touch approach is best where possible, minimising the loss of limbs and keeping the form of a tree to promote maximum new growth and potential for fruit.

All this means that our annual cull is a necessary evil, and though remarkably hard work is in fact a very rewarding and enjoyable activity, especially when the sky is blue and you are accompanied by friends and cider. It is a great opportunity to spend time in these fantastic orchards and get to know the trees close up, every branch can be clambered over or inspected and you see some amazing features of apple trees; the hollow trunks, crossing limbs and twisted cojoined branches. The springiness and strength of a small branch; you will only fall from an apple tree by standing on dead wood, green wood is remarkably tough to break. Lastly the view, perched high in a tree you enjoy a panoramic of the countryside not available from the ground, a new appreciation of hedgerows and ditches as well as the pathways of animals and activities of your neighbours - my advice if you can, sit long and high in an apple tree and enjoy time from the perspective of the birds. While you’re up there, make sure you snap off that pesky mistletoe!