The public is invited to join the Ditmars family in the tradition of protecting our orchard and asking for the blessing of a successful crop next season with one of our most unique and beloved orchard traditions — Wassailing! This centuries-old English custom celebrates the orchard, the harvest, and the community that keeps it thriving. We’ll gather together among the apple trees as The Irish Pope leads our traditional blessing of the trees, wishing them health, abundance, and good fruit for the coming season.
Activities include re-enactments of old English traditional rituals & rhymes with a chance to see the wassailing ceremony every hour at 12:30, 1:30, 2:30 & 3:30.
Everyone joins in with chanting and music making, toasts of hot cider and placing gifts of cider-soaked bread — DONUTS, in our case! — onto the tree branches while chanting the lively words of praise for the New Year.
Warm yourself next to our bonfires or inside in our tasting room. Enjoy a traditional mulled wassail drink, served hot with spices & mixed with our regular fresh pressed or hard apple cider. The bar inside will be open with our own local Iowa wines and hard ciders.
The admission is FREE and open to the public, young and old.
Come raise your cup and your voice — it’s good luck for the orchard when the crowd is loud!
