Ooh arh, ooh arh, apple pressing

We had a really interesting day out, yesterday, with a visit to one of our fellow Devon Association of Smallholders members. We went to Judy's farm near Dartington and helped her collect her apples. Most of them were on the ground but some were still on the tree so we had to pick those. Judy had rented all the kit to process the apples so, after they were washed, they were chopped and pressed. I lost count of the number of 2 gallon buckets of juice we pressed but it was probably close to ten. Some of the juice was then wasted by being put into glass bottles and pasturised or into plastic bottles for freezing. I am pleased to say that the rest of it went into kegs for cider making, one of which had my name on it!. Sorley Mist 2009, here we come!

Judy provided a nice lunch with home made soup for everyone around her real farmhouse table (by the Aga, of course) and we had tea and apple cake when the job was done.

We are very pleased to have Sue Potter staying with us for a while, whilst she settles into her new job in Totnes. Sue came along, too, and took the pic - otherwise her townie friends will never believe what she has been getting up to down in the country!