cider making take 2!

It was raining again just like last time, but the upside was that the equipment was working. We decided that we would set it up on our stern as there is so much more room there than in the cratch. We have a lovely big cover for it which we use during the winter months which gives us an extra indoor room and helps to insulate the boat, but we leave it off in the summer so we can 'sit out.' Also it is easier to cruise without the high cover. We agreed that it was time it went on, so we spent a good half hour struggling with it. Here is the back before the covers go up, with J the whippet inside wondering what is going on:

and here it is afterwards :

We set to with the apple pressing and became quite slick at it between us, with me and T washing the apples while P put them through the pulping machine. Then we all helped with the press. To cut a long story short, we got 10 gallons of juice!!! And call me sad, but I haven't had so much fun in ages!!

The pulper is all set up and ready to go:

Here is the press, in operation:

We decided to ferment 6 gallons in the sherry barrel without any interference. We will put some yeast and sugar in a fermentation tub with another 4 gallons and see how that goes and the rest will go into demijohns for wine. It's a learning curve, but we are sure we will have success somewhere!

This got me thinking ......  Come Christmas most people will go around Asda / Sainsburys / Tesco on Christmas eve banging their trolley into the back of someone else's knees and everyone seems to be bad tempered as they be get their Christmas booze etc. in for the big day. Well I personally don't think that is what it is all about. While we were pressing, a heron floated overhead on the breeze with its wings and legs all akimbo. It looked prehistoric and it made me think about the ancient harvest traditions. At this time of year hundreds of years ago, everyone would be gathering in the fruits of the season and making things which would be ready mid December for a great big bash.

To me that's what it is all about - celebrating the maturity of all that hard work. I am so looking forward to eating the chutney I have made, drinking the sloe gin and cider and maybe next year eating goats cheese and my own home grown turkey or chicken. How many people could kill their own meat? I firmly believe that if you couldn't kill it, you shouldn't eat it and I hold my hand up, I am a complete hypocrite ..... for now, but I am working on it.

On that note I will leave you with an appropriate quote from one of my absolute heros  ....

You have just dined, and however scrupulously the slaughterhouse is concealed in the graceful distance of miles, there is complicity.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Al