Apple Cider Time: Outdoor Hour Challenge #35

 Our family lives in an area that grows apples and this time of year it is a pleasure to visit the orchards and the apple barns. One particular place sells all sorts of apple goodies and we take the opportunity to indulge in some of their tasty treats.

Before we sampled the apple baked goods, we took a walk out in the orchard to observe the trees. Most of the apples had been harvested but there were a few to enjoy still on the tree.

We focused on the tree trunks this time after reading in the Handbook of Nature Study about how an apple tree is grafted. We noticed that the tree trunks are very different from the other trees we have been studying during this tree focus.There were a few varieties of apples in this section of the orchard and it was interesting to see the older trees and how full they were.

This particular orchard is known for its apple cider making and we walked over to the cider press to view the process. Here is a load of apples waiting to be poured into the big vat.

After the apples go into the vat of water, they are sent up a conveyor belt and into the press. The photo below gives you an idea of the cider press room where they squeeze the apples through a screen and then into the press.


He is filling the trays with apple goop and then he covers it in cheesecloth. He goes through this process a few more times, stacking the trays up as he goes. Then he starts the press and the juice comes out from there. This is really good stuff and when you visit the orchard you get to taste it right after it is pressed.

We purchased three different kinds of apples and tasted each one. Glorious. It always amazes me how something so simple can be so deliciously good.

I love nature study.