Welcome to
Horfield Organic Community Orchard
growing fruit, community, learning, and wellbeing since 1998
Horfield Organic Community Orchard (HOCO) is an inspiring, pioneering, local food project that put down roots 27 years ago on an allotment site behind HMP Bristol. The orchard is home to more than 80 different fruiting trees. It was planned to show that local grown fruit can be eaten and enjoyed all year round.
HOCO is a grassroots example of resilience in a world living with climate chaos. We are adapting the ways we care for our trees to meet serious challenges to food production now, and for the future. Do you care about the future of food growing? Join us as a Friend of the Orchard to support our work. Join us as a Harvest-share member and take action with others on the ground.
Summer Orchard Open Day Saturday 7 June 2025, 2pm-5pm
Enjoy the new pollinator-friendly areas planted in 2024 as part of our community pollinator project, Bee Active, Bee Fruitful! Find out simple ways to enrich food sources for wild pollinators in urban gardens and allotments. How many different kinds of pollinators can you see in the orchard on the day?
All our public events raise funds for HOCO through the sale of homemade cake, refreshments, plants, preserves and produce. New! Table Top sale of bric-a-brac, tools, and books on food, cooking, gardening, horticultre, and nature. Please bring cash!
If you love the orchard, and value our work, please support HOCO by joining as a Friend of the Orchard on the day.
Summer Open Day Workshops
Fundraising-by-donation
Please donate £5
Art in the Orchard led by Julian Gregg. Changing seasons and human activity inspire Julian’s watercolours, drawings and prints. All budding artists are welcome to enjoy this friendly plein air session. Bring your own art making materials, along with drinking water. Drop-in from 3pm to 5pm.
Summer Fruit Tree Care – led by Shannon Smith aka The Apple Tree Lady. New roots, shoots, and fruits are growing fast! The whole orchard ecology is zinging and hungry for life. This session is a practical introduction to insects and diseases that feed on our trees. It also covers mulching and water matters, and how and when to thin excess fruit and new growth.
1-hour session – 2.30pm – 3.30pm
Places limited. Please book in advance:
https://tinyurl.com/SummerFruitTreeWorkshop
Orchard Learning Courses for 2025
Get growing, learning, and active in the orchard this year. We welcome new Harvest-share members who are taking part in an Orchard Learning course at HOCO. New to fruit growing? Keen to learn more about pruning, lively soils, caring for trees in a climate crisis, and making the most of the harvest? There is an Orchard Learning course for you! Find out more: Orchard Learning
“If I knew the world would end tomorrow, I would still plant new apple trees today.”
Fruitful Futures –
a climate resilience action project
Starting Saturday 14 June, 2025
Dates: Saturdays 14 June; 13 September; 8 November; 7 February (2026)
Plus: extra time for research and hands-on sessions – as needed
Times (to be confirmed): Co-learning session – 12pm-1.30pm, followed by Orchard Action session – 2.30pm-4.30pm
Design and lay the groundwork to plant and grow new fruit trees in uncertain times. Co-create an experimental, action research project in a community environment. Beginning with questions about: soil; unpredictable and extreme weather patterns; how to share knowledge with future growers. Seeking solutions that are low-tech, low-cost, joyful and diverse.
Bring your hands, head, humour, and heart to this project. Recommended for participants with some previous growing experience, and an open mind, who are keen to take action at the grassroots.
Course fee: £70 (HOCO Harvest-share member); £100 (Friend of HOCO)
Please apply by: Thursday 12 June, 2025.
The application process includes an informal phone chat.
Get in touch about Fruitful Futures here.
