Annie, thank you so much for these wonderful pictures. Are the apples all the same variety??? You must have a huge freezer--all the better for preserving this cache of liquid amber/toasty brown Autumn-in-a-bottle.

annainpa, those apples in the baskets are a mix of Wolf River, Red Delicious and Gala from the farm. I added some "ungraded" Golden Delicious apples from a local organic orchard, some MacIntosh and Jonathan from a neighbor's largely untended trees and some mixed varieties that my nephew's Dad has growing on the back of his place. The more varieties you put into the press, the better the cider is, a mix of sweet and tart is best.

I have two freezers, actually, as I also raise grass fed beef, homegrown pork and this year I had heritage Blue Slate turkeys, as well as venison from my 9 year old Granddaughter's first deer. Freezer space is at a premium but I have to always find room for 4 or 5 gallons of cider.

Autumn-in-a-bottle is right, there is nothing like it!

Annie

It's what we call apple juice as it's not fermented into alcoholic cider. I bet it's just wonderful. I'd rather have your juice!

That has to be the best cider ever considering the variety of apples and the loving hands of your family members!

The closest I got to an apple project this month was taking Lily to visit with and feed the goats on the next street (I even cut them up). I didn't know goats don't like apples so we went to the pasture to give them to the cows.

Annie, the cider press is really neat. I'm so impressed that your dad made it. What a gift!

I've never made apple cider, but it looks like lots of fun and something we'd sure enjoy.

Wow! You never cease to amaze me, Annie. That cider looks so good and I bet the livestock loved the leftovers.

You dad made you a really nice press. I have an ancient cast iron press I've never used. DH stuck it out in a barn where the back part of the roof caved in and the press is now covered with rust. Does anyone think it can be salvaged?

Oh, and by the way, Annie, are you okay after the storms went through? I know Michigan got hit as well as the other states. I didn't hear of any tornadoes up there, but I know straight line winds can do damage as bad as some tornadoes.

Gosh that looks so good ! Will probably look twice as good to you in Jan--if it lasts that long.

Your apples look like they came from the trees in our backyard -- we never spray either-- they wouldn't pass in any market but sure make great applesauce & apple butter.
And the deer love them !

Diane

Cooking2day, I actually purchased the metal grinding parts, Dad built the wooden frame for me and put it together. It works really well but after this year when the apples were so plentiful Elery is threatening to motorize it. (grin)

Diane, my apples make perfectly good pies and juice, I make Nancy's Apple Maple Jam and apple butter and sauce and any that is left over are happily consumed by the cows and horses. There is never any left for the deer!

islay, apple juice here is usually cooked, which happens when I can it, and the fresh raw stuff is cider. The flavor is just so much different. Here, if it's alcoholic we call it "hard" cider. It's all good, that's for sure.

Cathy, the cows didn't have any problems at all eating those apples, did they? And the goats wouldn't eat them? Any goats I've ever met would eat anything, including cigarettes, gloves and pieces of paper.

Madonna, I'm intact but we did have a confirmed tornado in my county that did quite a bit of damage, and nearly half a million people in Michigan were without power. The power companies are saying that it might be Friday before everyone is back on and there is a lot of damage, flooding, trees down on houses, roofs are ruined. Most of the schools were closed today for structural problems and there is no power anyway. Wind was measured at 70MPH just south of me. It was a pretty wild night, but I'm fine and my power is on. I've got a couple days worth of yard cleaning to do and we've got some barn repair at the farm but that's minor compared to other damage.

Now, definitely get your cider press out of the barn. If it's cast iron it can be sandblasted if it's really bad, or scrubbed clean if it's not. The metal parts for mine cost more than I want to admit, and if you try to buy one new, well, Happy Valley has one like mine but with two slatted baskets for the everyday low price of $930.00. Just the metal parts are $575.00.

I see them periodically on Craigslist but they want hundreds of dollars for them.

So, definitely dig that out, if for no reason other than they are a very saleable and expensive item, you've got treasure in that old barn!

Annie

I agree... that's a great homemade press and fantastic looking cider!!! Wish I had that press to use for a little while.... I planted what was *supposed* to be an ornamental flowering crab tree years ago and this year it produced about 10 bags of very good-tasting apples! Don't ever trust the Arbor Foundation to send you the correct tree. LOL!!!

Whew. Now it's officially autumn. I've been looking for this. Life is complete now. Looking good!

Terrible storm, especially those still suffering tragic loss.

Your apple press is gorgeous!. I adore well made tools for a job. I brought home a big 'thing' years ago from a yard sale, haha. Big cast iron 'thing' i thought was a cider press. I doubt i payed much since back then i went off with 10 bucks, (now it is a 20dollar limit)... : )
Come to find out, it is a 5 gallon sausage stuffer, haha. I thought it was a cider press.
It is old and heavy, up in the third floor barn storage. I will never make that much sausage at one time. I so wish it was an apple press instead. (sigh)

I do love my barn third floor storage. Like a free yard sale right in my own homeland. I don't stop much for yard sales anymore, maybe one here and there since i have my own in the barn.
We forget what we have up there...