Huge success: apple juicing at Humphrey's End Orchard part 1

See the video at the bottom and photos of our wonderful afternoon today in the orchard at Humphrey's End. Some 50 people or more joined in the picking and juicing and plans are now afoot to set up some sort of community involvement in looking after the orchard (see initial ideas here that are progressing slowly).

Many helped with loosening the apples with a gentle but firm shake of branches - then it was washing the apples.

Next came the chopping of apples into quarters and then the grinder thing - has it got a special name - all including children helped with this - at times requiring the strength of Pippi Longstocking to turn the wheel.

The mush of ground apples then goes into the press in a muslin-like bag and the crank turned and turned to squeeze the juice.

Then out comes the juice - and wow what a juice - most of us tasted it there and then - a wonderful rich amber colour made from a mix of Newton Wonder and Blenheim apples. It was pretty labour intensive and with all hands we manged to create about 12 litres of the stuff - 2 of which I have here - of course it wont last so will need to be drunk within a couple of days - no problem with that!

It is probably the best tasting juice on the planet!

Anyhow more info about the day will be coming in another blog soon - hopefully tomorrow - including info on how to get involved with the project in the future......let me leave you with the video for now....OK not great quality but I am still learning this game!!

See more on my blog re Orchards here re Edwinna Bridgeman and here re Whiteshill Parish orchard.