Students enjoy fruits of their labours
The apple harvest is providing a wealth of work experience for college students.
Derwen College at Gobowen near Oswestry puts emphasis on giving its students skills for life and the workplace and the orchards at the college are providing rich pickings for just that.
Those students who are specialising in horticulture have been tending the apple years all year and are now busy picking the bumper crop.
The fruit then goes to the food centre were staff and students turn it into delicious treats including apple pies and cakes. Many pounds are also turned into Derwen College's award winning Spiced Apple Chutney.
Last year the chutney won a national Great Taste Award, competing against food from across the UK.
After the chutney is bottled and labelled the pots are then sold in the farm and food shop, again staffed by the students.
Other apple products are sold in the restaurant and cafe, yet more outlets for students to enjoy work experience.
"Students are involved in every process here from planting seeds and growing fruit and vegetables, making the jams and chutneys in the Food Centre and stocking and selling in the Farm Shop. We also create the labels here on site. There is a wide range of products in our dc handmade range including the chutneys and jams,” Louise Keevil from the college said.
Students also take their apples and the end products out to special food festivals and markets.
