Falkirk wildlife group at apple day

 Apple Day Did Not Happen on Its Own  

all animals are equal!

Apple Day required extensive planning and coordination. The planning group engaged in discussions with other volunteers and stakeholders to determine what activities to include, where things should be placed, and what tasks needed to be accomplished.  

One of the memorable lessons we learned was the conversation between the BFGs (Braes Friendly Growers) and PCH regarding what to do with the leftover apples and pulp. Permaculture and sustainability focus on waste management, which is central to our mission. At the hub, we are continuously introducing more zero-waste initiatives. Our sustainability manager at PCH suggested transforming the pulp into apple biscuit bars, perhaps with added honey, foraged seeds, or various spices, or even making apple pies for future events. He was quite excited about the idea of baking these snacks and pies for the upcoming Samhain event, which may now not happen.  

However, the BFGs expressed concerns that this would be too time-consuming and suggested we simply compost the leftovers. PCH agreed, recognizing the value of volunteer hours. Sometimes, our dreams remain unattainable not because they are impossible, but due to competing priorities with other worthwhile projects.  

FEL proposed an innovative solution: what if we introduced a horse to eat the leftover apples and pulp? This would provide us with manure, which could accelerate our composting efforts. The idea was well-received, and it was seen as a stroke of genius by everyone involved in the discussion. Our composting area already collected manure from a local horse connected to a nearby potato merchant, aligning perfectly with our Circular Community initiative and contributing to a circular economy where two social enterprises could work together for the common good.

However, we did not anticipate the massive volume of apples that accumulated on Apple Day. When the horse owner came to collect, she took half of the leftover pulp and was thrilled about it. We are sure the horses appreciated the treat! 

Fortunately, Falkirk's Wildlife Group was present that day. One of our trustees is involved with them and volunteers at Muiravonside Country Park. He asked if he could take any leftovers to the park the following day while doing his volunteer work at the animal farm. We were delighted with this arrangement, and soon after, we received photos of various farm animals—turkeys, pigs, and horses—enjoying the fresh apples.   

The FWCG

This event fostered networking with Muiravonside Wildlife Group and other conservation organizations, such as Jupiter Nature Reserve in Grangemouth, organized by TCV. This grassroots event has sown seeds of natural love and kindness, which are now flourishing.