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This World Cider Day, Luxembourgish cidermaker Ramborn is celebrating the true value of every single fruit tree.

It is not enough to replace old fruit trees by replanting and compensation alone: if one old tree is removed, restoring its rich biotope requires skilled care and investment over a period of at least 31 years.

Meadow orchards are a vital source of biodiversity; they are "Europe’s rainforests" in need of protection. We all need to recognise the real value of these orchards, and Luxembourg has the potential to become a shining example to the rest of Europe when it comes to restoring them to their former glory. A typical meadow orchard is home to more than 5,000 species of animals and plants, many of them highly endangered.

Once found adorning the countryside throughout Europe, traditional meadow orchards have been in steep decline for more than a hundred years. Over the 20th century, Luxembourg lost nearly 90% of its apple trees. Worse still, the condition of surviving orchards has deteriorated dramatically, with many trees full of mistletoe and close to death.

This World Cider Day (Sunday 3 June 2018), Luxembourg will celebrate its rich history of traditional meadow orchards, in a village that has become internationally renowned for the cider and perry they produce from these old trees. Born, located in the beautiful Sûre valley, and where this year’s festivities are taking place, is home to Luxembourg’s award-winning Ramborn Cider Co.

Cider in Luxembourg has always used the fruit from these old trees, but as the tradition of making cider died out, so too did the tradition of maintaining these orchards.
Since starting work in 2015, Ramborn has restored around 2,000 trees, bringing orchards back from the brink and back to fruition. The company has also been planting new trees, at a rate of about 200 each year, with plans for more in the near future.

“Although these trees will bear fruit in the next five or six years, meadow orchards take at least 31 years to reach maturity. After that, they will stay productive for at least another 50 years,” said Ramborn Founder and CEO, Carlo Hein. “For pears, it takes even longer: they only reach maturity after 50 years, bearing fruit for over 200 more. What we’re planting now is not just for the next generation, but for generations after that!”

World Cider Day

World Cider Day was originally launched in 2016 by the members of the Association of Apple Wine and Fruit Juice Press Houses in Hesse, Germany, and since then it has grown to include events all over the world, including Australia, the USA and Luxembourg.

Ramborn will be offering a free taste of their award winning cider, as well as guided hikes through their meadow orchards - including a mix of ancient and newly planted traditional apple and pear trees. There will be food trucks on offer and tours running throughout the day.

Luxembourg’s World Cider Day celebrations take place from 11:00 - 18:00, Sunday 3 June 2018 at the Ramborn Cider Haff.

Venue: Ramborn Cider Haff, Born

Organiser: Ramborn

Price: n/a

Reservations: n/a