Hot Off The Press

Thirsty Sailors

2012-01-17T02:07:00.000-08:00

Look out today at 4pm for Heron Valley's feature on the ITV1 show 'The Hungry Sailors' - Dick Strawbridge and his son visited us last Summer to learn a thing or 3 about our Cider, 6 pints later and the canoe down the river seemed a little daunting, but they went for it anyway (the key is to drink just enough to enhance your bravery before you hit the weir.....)

Racking Time

2012-01-17T01:53:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again... clear skies, plummeting temperatures, and just after 12th night - it's Cider racking time!

This week we'll be starting to rack our new season cider. The warm winter has speeded up the fermentation process, so that the juice we pressed in September is now well on the way to becoming cider. Racking is a process of pumping the partially fermented cider from one barrel to another leaving behind any sediment and dead yeasts that occur as a bi product of fermentation. We choose a cold day as this improves the clarity of the juice and more of the sediment is present at the bottom of the barrels, and so can be left behind when we pump into the secondary fermentation barrels.

Look out for our tasting notes in 1 month time and we'll give you an update of how the cider is progressing....

Saturday Telegraph Feature

2010-01-12T09:55:00.000-08:00

We've been featured in the Saturday Telegraph!

Thank you to the lovely Hattie and Jasper for making all seem so romantic and idyllic....

Unfortunately, the Valley in mid winter, digging the tractor out of snow drifts and pressing apples in freezing conditions, seems a million miles away from the lovely sunny scenes from their Autumn trip, but Spring will be with us soon and Mulled Cider drinking is excellent for morale and keeping hands warm! Productivity has dropped a wee bit though.......

For those of you that haven't read the article, click on the link below and see what you think.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/recipes/6318493/Apple-recipes-core-values.html

Pumpkin day at Riverford

2009-10-16T10:01:00.000-07:00

Come and have a glass or 3 of our lovely hot mulled new season apple juice at the Riverford pumpkin days.. We'll be at Riverford Farm in Totnes on Saturday 24th October, and at Riverford at Norton Farm in Hampshire on Saturday 31st October - we'd love to see you!

Visit www.riverford.co.uk for where, when and all other info

2009-06-19T09:07:00.000-07:00

Summer in the Valley...

It's lovely here now, the elderflowers are out, and the apple blossom has set, so the orchards are full of budding apples - looking good for the next apple harvest.

We've spent the past week pressing lemons for our lovely refreshing new organic Still Lemonade, which you will shortly be able to buy from the shop on this website - it's completely delicious and the most refreshing summer drink ever...

We've also just been picked as one on the Independent Newspaper's top 50 food websites, which is great news and a real surprise!

Riverford Rocks! Heron Valley at WOMAD!!!!

2009-06-04T05:14:00.000-07:00

24th July - 26th July 2009
Taste of the World Stage
Charlton Park, Malmesbury, Wiltshire

We can't wait ....!

Come and try our lovely juices at the WOMAD festival, we'll be snuggling up to the lovely people from Riverford for the duration and would love to see you.

Come to the Taste of the World stage for the best Riverford breakfast at the festival, fresh fruit, lovely bread and of course the best juices in the World.

Guy Watson will be hosting his brilliant 'Chop and Chat', a chance to create some lovely seasonal recipes with the best Riverford Organic Veggies grown on their farm...

All campers can pre order fresh organic Riverford produce to cook by your own campfire - simply visit www.riverford.co.uk for more details...

New, delicious handmade, super juicy Organic Lemonade coming soon!

2009-06-04T05:05:00.000-07:00

Look out over the next few weeks for our delicious new traditional Lemonade - we'll be putting it on our lovely website as soon as possible so you can serve it to your friends in big jugs over ice throughout the summer.

Completely natural, it is handmade with only whole organic lemons, organic cane sugar and lovely still Devon water ... nothing else!

Chilli apple juice ..it's juice Jim, but not as we know it!

2009-06-04T04:55:00.000-07:00

A collaboration following a rowdy cider infused canoe trip down the River Avon that flows through both the orchards of Heron Valley and the South Devon Chilli Farm, has lead to the development of our delicious, fiery new juice.

With over 4lb of organic Heron Valley apples and a smidge of the finest 1st pressed Chilli juice from the South Devon Chilli Farm, our new Apple and Chilli juice delivers a delicious, refreshing flavour with a kick!

Cocktails
Try serving Apple and Chilli juice on its own or with Vodka or tequila over plenty of ice – a fantastic, frisky cocktail.

2008-12-03T04:45:00.000-08:00

Mulled Cider and apple juice

Yes the season of merriment is upon us, and now our mulled cider and apple juices come into their own.

Infinitely better than mulled wine and less headaches, Mulled cider is the easiest, most delicious drink you will make this Christmas.

Simply warm our still cider with sugar to taste and a bag or two of our Organic Mulling spices (all available in our online shop, yippee!) and serve. For those not drinking, simply warm our naturally sweet apple juice with the mulling spices and Bob's your Uncle.. a delicious, inclusive mulled drink for all!

Merry (nearly) Christmas

2008-12-03T04:37:00.000-08:00

And finally... Heron Valley delivered to your door

Yes, we've finally got there!!!

After months of promises and hard negotiations with couriers (we find cider is an excellent currency), our Heron Valley online shop is now open for business!

We now have a full range of our lovely drinks available to buy online from this site and delivered to your door. Simply enter the shop, pick your goodies and pay with Paypal.. couldn't be easier!

We'll send them out from the farm faster than you could juggle an apple.

We also plan to offer a few other products from like minded friendly companies, so keep a look out on the site for new things to buy.

Happy shopping...

2008-12-03T04:27:00.000-08:00

Heron Valley tries to drink the Navy under the table... and loses...

A big belated thank you to the lovely officers on HMS Albion, who invited the entire Heron Valley team aboard for a cider tasting. We had a great time, although productivity was pretty low the following day... and we're looking forward to the home match next summer when we take the officers for a canoe down the river from the farm to the sea at Bantham for a swift pint or 3 at the Pilchard Inn on Burgh Island (one of our all time favourite pubs...)

The trick is to drink enough cider en route before you hit the weir...

Thank you again and we're already looking forward to the re match....

London Calling..

2008-09-22T05:52:00.000-07:00

Good news for Londoners, we have just sent our first delivery of juice, cider and fiery ginger beer into Wholefoods/Fresh and Wild in the big smoke (that's London) this week!

We met the lovely buyers from Wholefoods at a small show, and although we rarely venture North of Exeter with our deliveries, we decided we ought to make it easier for you all to track down our drinks in London Town.

We've been invited up to the High Street Kensington store for apple day (21st October) so you can all come and sample some of lovely Devon drinks - come and join us!

Mists and mellow fruitfulness...

2008-09-22T05:41:00.000-07:00

apples...apples...apples... our favourite time of year.

The crop this year is fantastic - thankfully, as we've just sold the last bottle of last seasons juice!

We'll be pressing approx 250 tonnes of apples over the coming months and braving rain, snow (?) and high water to ensure we make enough of our lovely juice and cider for you all to drink next year.

We've pressed our first cider apples of the season, Tom Putt and Katy, and are clearing the cider barns ready for the new cider apple juice to start fermenting.

Keep a look out for updates on the pressing season - we'll let you know the varieties we're pressing and when, so you know what we're up to on the farm...

2008-05-14T01:32:00.001-07:00

The Show Must Go On
Come and meet us at the following shows this year and enjoy a glass or 3 from Heron Valley!

Devon County Show
15th-17th May 2008
Westpoint show ground Exeter
South Hams Food and Drink Marquee next to main ring

Dartmouth Regatta
27th – 30th August 08
Dartmouth, Devon
Jubilee Gardens and the food and drink tent next to the tennis courts!

2008-04-17T08:25:00.000-07:00

‘Heron valley Nouveau is here!’

Our new season cider is ready! Pressed in September from the finest cider apples from our local Devon orchards, the 2007/2008 vintage tastes fantastic! Coming to a pub near you soon, or order online from our shop...