The East – Discover Where You Live: Life Under the Apple Tree – The Saxon Fruit Makers

Apples have always been Germans’ favorite fruit. Saxony is Germany’s third-largest fruit-growing region. The Saxon Fruit Region is home to 200 apple varieties – some with quirky names like “Dicke Berta” (Fat Bertha), “Edler von Leipzig” (Noble of Leipzig), “Schöner aus Herrnhut” (Beauty from Herrnhut), or “Prinzessin Marianne” (Princess Marianne). Cherries, berries, plums, pears, and strawberries also grow abundantly here. To this day, the Saxon orchards are among the most valuable and diverse in Germany. We wander through blooming landscapes, delving into the centuries-old history of Saxon fruit cultivation and a cider-making tradition that began in local monasteries almost 1000 years ago.

We tell stories from the Saxon Fruit Region and accompany people dedicated to Saxon fruit as they care for trees, harvest, and traditionally press and bottle the fruit.