Cider making

Jessica and Josh picking apples

In early October we headed for a three-day weekend in the Methow, to press cider and spend time with Brian's sister Leah and Shiori. Jessie, Josh, and Travis all got to experience of picking apples with a 100-pound (it seems) picking bag around their necks and riding at the top of the forklift to reach the high ones.
The weather was fine and it was great to spend time outdoors in such a beautiful place. Our teen, Travis, was not happy about being there and very adament that he did not want to participate but once there and once involved, he had a lot of fun. Maybe not as much fun as wiping out a whole platoon in a WWII video game, but fun nonetheless.
Grandpa Keith showed up in time to instruct the greenhorns in the finer points of pressing cider (Leah hadn't done it since she was young and Brian too, except for a small batch he and I did for fun two years ago that all spoiled because he didn't remember you had to process it or freeze it).
The Methow in fall is amazing, I never get tired of it. And the cider turned out well. We also picked several boxes of apples to bring home and can applesauce (we're still making batches -- how did farmers ever find time to make babies?).

Our cider was a scientifically balanced blend of different apple types to achieve the perfect combination of flavors.

Okay, we tried to find the ones without worms and hoped for the best.






Bonnie seemed to enjoy being back on the farm and Travis enjoyed teasing her. Kodiak and Max ran so hard they slept like the dead all night.

Do the dead actually sleep?

Whatever, the dogs love the farm.

lph