Credit: © NGPM Caroline Martin
The Natur- & Geopark Mëllerdall (Mullerthal nature park) has announced a series of events as part of the "Mount Vum Bongert" (Month of the Orchard), an initiative that celebrates orchards and local products.
The nature park noted that orchards form part of the region's cultural and natural heritage, with fruits from the "Bongerten" having long been used for a variety of purposes. Even today, local producers transform the fruits of the orchards into high-quality regional products (apple juice, brandies, cider, etc.). Consequently, the Natur- & Geopark Mëllerdall decided in 2020 to organise an annual "Mount vum Bongert". The initiative will return this year from mid-September to mid-October, offering the public an opportunity to discover Mullerthal's meadows and orchards from different angles.
Several restaurants in the area are preparing orchard-inspired menus, composed of regional fruits and refined fruit products. These menus are available in the following restaurants: Hotel-Restaurant Gruber in Steinheim (28 September to 23 October), Aal Eechternoach in Echternach (15 September to 15 October), Hotel-Restaurant Dimmer in Wallendorf-Pont and Berdorfer Eck in Berdorf.
With the aim of preserving tasty orchard fruits at home all year round, the Natur- & Geopark Mëllerdall is also organising a workshop on fruit preservation techniques at the École du Goût in Brandenburg on Friday 6 October 2023.
To ensure that the meadows and orchards of the Mullerthal region are exploited more fully again, the new platform kierfchen.lu serves as an exchange and selling platform for local fruit. The search for local producers who process fruit has also been simplified.
Those who do not have an apple tree, but who wish to help with the harvest, can participate in an apple picking action on Saturday 7 October 2023. As a reward, participants can take some of the picked apples home to eat.
Moreover, some of the nature park's partners are organising various family-friendly orchard-related activities in the coming weeks. On Saturday 30 September and Sunday 1 October 2023, Ramborn will hold its annual Harvest Days, during which visitors can pick traditional apple varieties in the Born meadows and orchards, before tasting cider and fruit juices at the cidery. At the Luusshaff community garden in Schrondweiler, families can also take part in an activity linked to the orchard.
At the traditional apple juice festivals, visitors will have the opportunity to taste fresh apple juice. The municipality of Rosport-Mompach is home to three such festivals ("Vizfester"): on Friday 29 and Saturday 30 September in Rosport, on Saturday 7 October in Steinheim and on Saturday 21 October 2023 in Osweiler. In addition, during the second weekend in October (7 to 8), the Guides and Scouts will organise a "Vizfest" in Echternach. For those wishing to purchase homemade plum ("quetsche") jam, Larochette is hosting such a festival on Saturday 7 October 2023.
Further details, including the full programme, are available on the website: https://www.naturpark-mellerdall.lu/fr/mois-des-pres-vergers-2023/.
