A FAMILY cider maker will be expecting a bumper crop of apples this year following an ancient ceremony.
Sheppy's Cider hosted the Wassail ritual at its farm at Bradford-on-Tone on Friday evening (January 21).
The well attended event featured chanting, dancing and tradition to ensure the next harvest is a good one.
Wassail gets its name from an old English term 'waes hael' meaning 'be well', which was shouted like a toast with the reply 'drinc hael' meaning “drink and be healthy” at festivities in the darkest days of January as far back as Saxon times.
There are several types of Wassailing tradition, most involving hot spiced alcohol, but the important one for all cider-makers is blessing their apple trees.
The hour-long ceremony saw torches being carried and was followed by folk dancing and drinking, along with food.
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