Harvesting and pressing - part 3, Through the mill...

In the last post we finished with a final rinse before the fruit entered the mill - so the next stage is the crucial one, where the apples are actually pressed to release the juice.

Mike's photos for this bit are a bit baffling - I can't quite follow what is going on - but I'll share them anyway and maybe it will make more sense to those of you more familiar with this kind of thing.

 

The press and it's operator, Alan

 

 

The press forces the juice from the fruit and the leftover dry apple - pomace - is saved for cattle feed

 

Pomace - what is left when the juice is pressed from the apples

 

Meanwhile the juice is piped into storage tanks, ready for the magic of cider making to begin...

 

 Storage tanks

 

Fermenting juice

The pressing season is now well underway, but still plenty to go - the different varieties of cider apples mature at different times throughout the season, and Mike will pressing right up to December. So plenty more opportunity for more photos - and he tells me he has filmed an apple delivery - just the 30 tonnes (!) - so I'll try and share that next time.

Harvesting and pressing - part 2, apples delivered, sorted and rinsed

I promised a 'stage 2' in the harvesting and pressing series, and here it is - a set of photos capturing the fruit arriving at the farm, then being rinsed and sorted ready for pressing.

 

Apples from local growers are delivered into the pit

 

Apples transferred from the pit onto the hopper...

 

...then they travel up the hopper into the mill

 

Sticks and leaves are filtered out

 

Hand-sorted to remove any stones or rotten fruit

 

..and a good rinse before heading in to the press.

And in the next post I'll share some photos of the actual pressing.... the press is quite a piece of kit!

Also, good news that we have some blue skies and dry weather today. Much easier for harvesting fruit so should ensure there's plenty to press over the weekend.

Harvest and pressing - part 1, apples & orchards

Cider making season is now well underway. Mike donned his overalls in early October, headed off to the farm up the road where his cider is pressed and stored, and I haven't seen much of him since...

Occasionally he comes home for a bacon sandwich, does a bit of admin and picks up messages from local apple growers ("Do you want 30 tonnes of fruit this afternoon?") but really it's all about the practical stuff at this time of year.
 
He frowned when  I suggested I trail around after him with a camera (can't imagine why?) but he did agree to take some photos himself, and here are the first few - starting where the process begins, with the apples. These are taken in the orchards next to the farm, and show apples which will be made into this season's Henney's cider.

 

Dabinett apples

 

Dabinett apple trees

 

Michelin apples

 

Michelin apples - the tractor 'blows' the fruit clear of trees, ready for collection

These photographs were taken last week, when the sun was shining. It's been raining here for about 48 hours which makes harvesting apples tricky - so fruit deliveries have temporarily slowed up and there is a bit of a lull in pressing... time for an extra bacon sandwich!

Next post - apples arriving at the farm and being sorted and washed ready for pressing.

Antique cider making equipment

A couple of times this summer we have visited a local agricultural auction / sale arranged by Pugh's in Ledbury - it's a a great place to pick up bargains, and just interesting to wander around and see the amazing array of 'stuff' on sale. It changes every time obviously, but we've spotted everything from olive trees to office equipment, hosepipes to beer barrels, tractors to vintage caravans.

And last time we went we came across some old cider making equipment - a trough, millstone and an old screw press.

We didn't catch the auction for the press, but watched with interest when stone came up. The bidding went up to £1800 - but failed to meet its reserve (which must have been a blow for the seller, faced with getting it home again!)

The kit used these days isn't quite so pretty but still fascinating stuff, and now the cider pressing season is underway I will get some photos very soon (even if I have to trail the ever-reticent Mike with a hidden camera!)

A busman's holiday (a cider maker's holiday)

A week away in Brittany last month was something of a bus man's holiday for Mike - not that he was complaining. It is an area of France famous for its cider making tradition, and obviously there was much sampling to be done.

It is typically served as a wine alternative, in classic 750ml bottles to share out around the table. And whilst we didn't actually see anyone using them, the gift shops were full of little crockery cider mugs - a traditional, rustic alternative to a glass.

It was great to so much cider around - and so much of it of excellent quality, locally produced by small scale cider makers. There was always a fine selection of ciders in the restaurant wine menus, and, perhaps most heartening of all, even the big supermarket we visited had a cider fixture to rival the beer selection.

Á votre santé!

Slow Cooked Pork in Henney's Apple Sweet Cider

A big thank you to our friends Sam and Anna for sharing this recipe. They sent it over last winter but I failed to get organised and post it, then the weather warmed up and it didn't really seem appropriate for a summer evening.

But I'd say Autumn is pretty much upon us now and it's definitely getting cooler in the evenings, so I think we can safely say it's time to start thinking casseroles!

Slow Cooked Pork in Henney's Apple Sweet Cider

1 Henney’s Apple Sweet Cider
2 Pork chops
2 Bramley apples
5 Potatoes
3 Onions
1 Carrot
1 Red pepper
1 Vegetable stock
Rosemary and thyme

Peel the peelable things and chop everything to bite sized chunks.
Put everything into the slow cooker with a healthy sprinkling of the herbs.
Leave to simmer for 6 hours or so stirring occasionally.

Serve with fresh bread and a glass of cider

Serves 4 - 6

Tree Farm Orchard - the first summer

Well, the new orchard has been active over the summer, even if the Henney's blog writer hasn't (apologies, I will attempt to post more regularly as we approach the all-action phase of the cider making year - and Mike will just love me trailing around after him with a camera!)

Here are a few shots from June, July and late August, which capture the orchard during it's first summer. And there is fruit on the trees, so more photos coming soon.