Category: apple

All routine now :). Looks like only every other year is a (wild) apple year so this will have to last a while. Esther’s been extremely helpful.

We had another 2 cider pressing days, for a grand total of 24 gallons pressed. Some are fermenting, some refrigerated for immediate consumption, some gifted, and some canned. I’ve done good at really going after the trees, it wasn’t a banner year so I wanted to get all we could. It’s also helpful to pick frequently to not have too many rotted apples under the trees, it makes picking the good ones easier.

As with maple syrup and other things, while the thrill of discovery is gone, it’s nice to know what we’re doing. We had several encounters with baby coyotes so this year’s labels reflect that.

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As is tradition, the remaining few apples were composted mechanically.

I’ve been very eager to get pressing. Since we’ve been here, only every other year has been an apple year. This year we also skipped sugaring, and the trees looks full but not gorged with apples either. I want to grab the apples before the wildlife get to them. I’ve been accumulating them over the past week a bit a time, until we had enough for a few gallons. All wild apples, the trees could use some pruning, if nothing else, to let me climb them easier.

We wash them by the well. I thought Esther would help for 1 round and get bored, but she tagged along for all 6 rounds. It’s very tiring work, we even got into something I rarely experience, when I get tired after a lot of work with someone, a bit of euphoria sets in in and we start cracking lots of jokes and making lots of mistakes. It was fun to experience that with her.

Robin on the other hand totally did the 1 round and got bored :). He was working on something cool I’ll have to post about (yes it’s a plotter). We set the press up in the sugarhouse, it’s a little crowded but it works and the wasps stay out.

We made 7 gallons. I never would have left Robin carry a gallon at the same age, but Esther is more deliberate and worked hard enough she had earned a potentially spilled gallon. She ended up carrying them all inside.

A cider pressing day is always a bit of a endurance test, lots of lifting.