HEREFORDIANS are quite rightly proud of the county’s cider heritage.

Apples used from orchards across the county make some of the best cider available to buy both locally and nationally.

So it was only right to have a category dedicated to cider. Entries can be any of the following, entered individually: clear, cloudy, sparkling, still, dry and semi-sweet.

We still need more cider producers to enter our awards - find out more here: herefordtimes.com/awards/foodanddrink/cider/

One of the entries in this category is Fair Oak Cider which is made in Bacton.

Hilary Engel from Fair Oak Cider said: “Fair Oak Cider is made on a Herefordshire farm in a horse-drawn mill - the only one now producing cider commercially in the UK. The mill and press are believed to date from the early 17th century, and were restored to working order in 2012 with the help of skilful craftsmen and elderly neighbours. They had not been used since the First World War.

“It was impossible at first to find a horse to work the mill - as no horses are doing this work any more; and so we made cider in the first year by pushing the wheel round by hand. Then miraculously Pye, a Gypsy Cob stallion bred and trained as a driving pony by Wendy and John Lloyd in Llanigon, was introduced to us as a possible mill horse. He proved to be willing to work in the dark, confined space of the mill house, and strong enough to pull the weight of the wheel.”

They use cider apples from small orchards around the Golden Valley. Varieties include Kingston Black, Dabinett, Yarlington Mill and Foxwhelp.

It is available to buy at Fodder in Church Street, Locks Garage, Pengethley Farm Shop, Oakchurch, Hopes of Longtown, Ewyas Harold Stores and Castle Greengrocers in Hay-on-Wye.