Changes

Bring your own apples and containers and join us to make your own fresh squeezed apple cider. Make a custom laser engraved cider mug to take home - only $2. For more information on cider making, including what apples to purchase, see [[Cider Making]].

* Free for membersand community, donations gratefully accepted == Lessons Learned ===== Farmers Market Demo ===* Got way too many apples: purchased 8 bushels for Farmers Market demo, only used ~2-3** Also received 2 unexpected bushels from a Farmers Market vendor** Still left with 3.5 bushels after make-your-own event* Farmers Market Apple Tasting (separate event) scheduled from 9am to 11 am** We set up late, and ended up staying through end of market (~2:30 pm), still had plenty of people* Told to expect 350 people** Used up ~500 sample cups, ran out of flyers very early** Probably ~50% kids, 25% parents, 25% students?* Set up in grass, good location** Kinda far from spigot and loading area, a wheeled cart would have been nice* Market supplied 1 table and brought another, probably request 2 for future* Many people interested in buying our cider** Fundraiser, laser engraved mug of cider?** Enter our cider in the Apple Tasting "Value Added Products" competition?=== General ===* Wade's Orchard is excellent source of inexpensive apples** Seconds ($8.50/bushel) were great quality* * Cider grade ($5 for non.00/bushel) had some bruising/rot/leaves, but were very adequate* Mix of 4 parts Stamen Winesap, 2 parts Golden Delicious, 1 part McIntosh, and 1 part Granny Smith produced very good cider* Grinder did not overheat (likely due to lower temperatures)** Still a good idea to eventually replace motor** Using surge strip as power switch worked okay, would still prefer a built in switch (maybe foot pedal or spring loaded normally open) * Metal pressing plate worked great* Bottleneck during make-your-membersown event was the press** Tried to set up original wooden press, but did not have enough/properly sized pressing disks** Wooden press also less user friendly, especially without metal pressing plate** Possibly encourage using multiple smaller cheeses*** Need more bags and pressing disks*** Disks are preferably HDPE (food safe, resist breakage, chop up cutting boards) or metal (harder to work with, corrosion concerns)* Fabric bags seemed to clog up eventually, wasn't squeezing out all the liquid** Blew up three fabric bags due to using more pressure to get out juice** Nylon bags worked well and resisted clogging, but let more "stuff" through into the cider. Press and then filter?* Cleaning up concrete pad failed; put down tarp or plastic dropcloth first