Round the back of a nearby pub there's a fantastic apple orchard. On Saturday they held an apple day in conjunction with a local organisation which promotes the conservation of the area's natural and cultural heritage. And no, that isn't just drinking cider.
There were apple things for the children to do, information about apples and orchards, basket making, Morris dancing, singing (including a song with the immortal line, "A bit more cider won't do any harm") and of course the pressing of apples. The littlest boy declared it one of his best days out, despite it all being fairly low-key.
Somehow I didn't manage to take any pictures of the fantastic old machine that chops the apples up, or of the press that squeezes out the juice. But it was a pleasure to see things done in the old way. There was as much freshly pressed juice as you could drink, and as many apples as you could eat.
We didn't stay to the end because we cycled and I didn't fancy the country lanes in the dark. After we left the bonfire was lit and there was a barbecue with, most probably, cider. And by cider I mean proper West Country cider; cloudy, appley and fairly lethal. Rough is the word you'll hear used about it. Cider is something different in America I think. It must be quite a surprise if you're just expecting apple juice.
I shall close with a smile and a wave to US readers. I hope things go the way that you want today. Not long now...
So lovely ♥
ReplyDeleteI love apple days, we have been to a couple. There is something about them that makes me feel all happy about harvest time and old traditions.
ReplyDeleteThat looks like lots of fun xxx It's great that it is on your doorstep and such a different day out too.
ReplyDeleteI do love a good 'apple day'. The best one we ever went to was held at the botanical gardens in Cambridge; our local one, sadly, pales by comparison. I'm rather partial to the odd drop of scrumpy too! xx
ReplyDeleteApple day sounds amazing. Do you secretly live in Ambridge? ;-) I'm on tenterhooks re the US Election and I'm British! xx
ReplyDeleteI like the sound of an apple day, what a lovely tradition to uphold x
ReplyDeleteOne of the things I miss most about living in the northeastern US is apple season. I loved going to the orchards to pick apples when I was a child. You could spend all day and it was a lot of fun. I've never seen the apple-chopper up close and personal but I remember watching one of those "how it's made" type shows where they featured an apple juice factory. That was pretty neat. It sounds like you had a really nice day.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous sounding day out. I'm sure there is a local Apple day near us, which I will have to investigate next year!
ReplyDeleteI was shocked when my friend who we stayed with when we were in the US this summer offered my children cider to drink! I didn't realise that is the US apple juice... Doh. Apples are such fabulous fruit, aren't they? And old orchards are such a great heritage. It sounds a very fine day out. Probably wise to cycle home in daylight! S x
ReplyDeleteSuch a wonderful tradition. Low keys days are very often amazing days out.
ReplyDeleteIt's as well that you didn't stay. Cycling along country lanes after dark full of cider isn't the ideal way to get home.
ReplyDeleteThat looks and sounds like a good afternoon. I always did enjoy a glass of proper cider, one the one mind you. Flighty xx
ReplyDeleteThis looks like such a fun event! And the fact that it was British cider and not our American cider would have made it even better! :) Unfortunately, it is not a good day here in the US...
ReplyDeleteLove the juxtaposition of pub, orchard and cider - all within a cycling radius. Although I'm off cider since I donated apples to a local cider making cooperative and got some very murky cider back in return. There is only so much I can use in cooking. Shame because when I was young cider was my favourite drink and I've very happy memories camping down in the West Country and surfing and rock climbing by day and drinking proper cider by night. Hope you're having a good day CJ and thanks for the reminder about apple muffins. Baking always makes things better I find.
ReplyDeleteNice to read about your apple festival. SWeet. This is what we should be doing here in the U.S. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletesounds like a truly marvelous afternoon out. there's nothing like a really good apple. sadly, they're harder and harder to come by these days.
ReplyDeleteyes, cider has become something of a Thing over here...and not in a good way. pretentious, craft-brewery stuff catering to a certain demographic *cough*hipsters*cough*. :) i think Real Cider would knock them flat. especially since those tight-legged trousers don't allow for nimble, evasive, movement.
ahem.
you'll have heard by now, i'm sure. just a little beat-that-story on the whole Brexit thing. oy vey.
xoxoxo
Looks and sounds like a great day. I gave apple day here a miss as it involved taking your own apples for juicing. Driving past one of our old houses, I noticed the Discovery tree we planted was covered in fruit. Maybe I should have knocked on the door and asked for a bagful!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous! A day devoted to all things apple. I can't think of anything nicer. And somehow cycling there makes it all the more lovely. There's magic in orchards and apples....and I suppose cider too, only in different ways :o) xx
ReplyDeleteSo nice to always visit here and find your beautiful pictures of wild places. I was thinking back on a conversation we had after "Brexit" and, sadly, now I know exactly how you felt.
ReplyDeletewhat a fabulous event x
ReplyDeleteApple days are great fun, I volunteer at our community orchard and it has been wonderful helping out all year and then see the accumulation of all our efforts celebrating apple day! It takes take lots of work behind the scenes . We managed to produce over 100 bottles of apple juice and the taste of it was so good. I loved the apple arrow in your pictures! Sarah x
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