There’s a definite change in the air across the Cotswolds.
The mornings are cooler, the fields are busy with harvest and here on the farm, the orchard is full of apples. The hedgerows are beginning to turn and there’s that unmistakable feeling that autumn has arrived.
For us, it’s an exciting time of year because it’s when the fruit we’ve been watching grow all summer really comes into its own.
From orchard to glass
The orchard has looked different every few weeks this year.
Back in spring, the trees were covered in blossom. Through the summer, the apples slowly grew, and now they're ripening on the branches, ready for harvest.
Being based on a farm in the Cotswolds means we're lucky enough to see that whole process happening right outside our door.
And British apples have always been at the heart of Bensons.
We started here on the family farm back in 1999, and more than 25 years later, we're still surrounded by the fields, orchards and countryside that have been part of our story from the very beginning.
There’s something rather special about seeing the apples growing on the trees, then seeing them make their way into our drinks. From our Pressed fruit apple juices, made with British apples, to our other drinks, the fruit from British orchards is what gives Bensons its roots.
It's a simple journey, but one we're incredibly proud of: grown in British orchards, pressed here in the Cotswolds and enjoyed wherever our drinks are sold.
The first taste of Autumn
The Cotswolds is pretty beautiful at this time of year. The light has changed, the first leaves are turning and there's a crispness to the air.
It’s muddy boots after a walk along a country lane, the smell of harvest in the fields and getting home as the evenings start to draw in.
And then there’s another Bensons favourite making its annual return.
Our Winter Mulled Apple Juice is starting to make its comeback, ready for when those properly chilly evenings arrive.
Made with whole-pressed British apple juice and warming spices including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove, it’s our take on a classic winter warmer. The apples and spices are blended here on the farm, bringing together the flavours of the season in one bottle.
So while we're still enjoying the last of the lighter days, we're already looking ahead to what's next.
For now, we'll be watching the harvest come in, enjoying the orchard and making the most of this beautiful corner of the Cotswolds.
Because for us, autumn isn't just a change in the weather.
It's apple season.
And that's something worth looking forward to.