Blasting gas guns, Morris dancers, a country town choir, and an incantation that goes back to pagan times.

These are all part of bringing together centuries old traditions surrounding cider making and resurrecting many of the apples varieties which have started to enjoy new popularity.

The wassail ceremony, which dates back centuries, is being held at an orchard near Reidsdale just south of Braidwood in the southern part of New South Wales.

Garry Watkins Sully has been joined by around 100 people, including at least one other orchardist, to welcome spring and prepare for what he hopes is s successful apple season.

Wassail would, in the northern hemisphere, be a part of autumn.

Morris dancers perform at the wassail ceremony at an orchard near Reidsdale just south of Braidwood in southern New South Wales.

To Mr Watkins Sully, the tradition marks the promise of spring, and his quest to propagate varieties of apples which had for many years gone out of favour.

"It fits in with the cider and the way we work seasonally. This is basically the end of the winter season, the dark season," he explained with a bit of a wry smile.

"It is basically a pagan ritual to wake up the apples and burst into spring.

"We do it every year and to also chase the evil spirits away from the orchard."

Mr Watkins Sully views it as some fun and a way of involving the community.

Although he points out that since inviting people to take part in 2011, two years ago he didn't stage it, and the subsequent season there were no apples.

In an area which reminds him of Wales, where he was born, Mr Watkins Sully grows around 40 varieties of apple trees.

The fruit he presses in the traditional manner to make cider.

It is sold mainly through farmers markets and also from what was once a cheese factory which now houses his barrels of cider.

A choir sings and welcomes spring at a wassail ceremony an orchard near Reidsdale just south of Braidwood in southern New South Wales.

The restored building was where cheddar was once made from the milk produced by the then thriving dairy herds.

The finished product was then exported to Britain in the early 20th century.

Those who have turned up for the wassail ceremony move near to an apple tree, decorated with glass balls and coloured ribbons, signifying good and evil spirits.

Not far away is what resembles a scarecrow atop a bonfire.

"The idea is to chase away the evil spirits and wake up the trees," Mr Mr Watkins Sully explained.

As the flames take hold, there is also a piece of coal from last year's blaze placed in the fire.

"This resembles the cycle of spring and winter." he said.

The ancient incantation is done by Vera who has come out for the day.

"Here's to thee, old apple tree. "That blooms well, bears well. "Hats full, caps full. Three bushel bags full. "An' all under one tree. Hurrah! Hurrah!"





Tradition has it that at the conclusion of the incantation, a shotgun is discharged, with the shot across the top of the decorated apple tree.

However in this case a gas gun, which normally is used to scare birds from the apple trees, is triggered instead.

While the day is largely for a "bit of fun" Mr Watkins Sully and neighbour Glenn Duncan will soon be involved in efforts to greatly increase the number of older apple varieties.

Over several days, the two will be toiling away on 1,400 Red Delicious apple trees growing on Mr Duncan's orchard.

They will be grafting the "museum stock" which Mr Watkins Sully explains are quite healthy.

He expects in a couple of years the trees should be producing cider apples.

Mr Duncan also has some Fuji apples growing, but they will be untouched.

"Red Delicious are neither here nor there," he said.

Decorations represent good and bad spirits as part of a Wassailing ceremony to encourage a good apple crop ( Michael Cavanagh )

"It's not a great table apple any more.

"It doesn't make a good juice.

"So we decided to go back into the traditional cider apples.

"Fox whelp is what we are looking at, we have put in some Somerset red streak.

"I think it is going to be a bit of a melting pot.

"Around here there were Irish corner apple cider trees.

"We are identifying them and put them back into lines in our orchard."

While they hope their efforts bear fruit in the years to come, Mr Watkins Sully is extremely optimistic about this year's harvest.

"The buds are all full and it looks like we are going to have plenty of apples," he enthused.

"Fingers crossed we can hope that we don't get a late frost that knock's them off.

"So far it is looking good."

If his prediction proves correct, maybe he will be giving some of the credit to this year's wassail ceremony which was held on a bleak chilly day, a contrast to the spring many of the region's primary producers are hoping for.