full harvest farm part 2 – fresh apple cider

October 6, 2009   ·   3 comments   ·   tweet this   ·   share on facebook   ·   pin it

Full Harvest Farm has an old apple cider press that has been passed down through the generations. We got to participate in creating and tasting some of the best cider I’ve ever had. How does it work? We’ll, here we go…

The apples are grown in the orchard of course (we’re talking fresh stuff here!)

They are picked and washed. Because Full Harvest Farm is an organic farm, we don’t have to worry about washing off tons of insecticide.

Chuck, one of the two owners, brings in the washed apples, ready for cutting.

The cut up apples make their way to the antique cider press, getting dumped into the top as the handle is turned to smash them up. The bits of apple drop to a burlap sack below.

Terry, co-owner and wife to Chuck, shows us how to smash ‘em up.

After enough mash is gathered in the burlap sacks, the pressing commences, squeezing the sweet nectar from the pulp.

What’s left? A belly full of cider and a wheel barrel of hog feed.