Cider house bottling.

Yesterday, nine months after that March day we pressed our autumn-harvested apples, we gathered again for the next part of the process. For nine months those vats of apple juice with added champagne yeast have been bubbling away and becoming cider. Yesterday was bottling day.

First the collected bottles were soaked in a sterilising solution.

Then a teaspoon of brewers sugar was added to each.

The bottles were filled with cider.

And then capped.

Of course, as with all the best community working bees, the working bit was only a small part of the fun. There was lots of music, a feast, happy-wild children and a fair bit of taste-testing too.

One day I'll work out how to add sound and video to my blog. These words and photos seem a bit one dimensional without the background music track to really get you in the mood.

In March I ended my blog saying how much I love community and celebrations of season and fruit and time, I can't think of a better way to describe how I feel today too.

My farmer boy has himself a little hangover this morning.
I wonder how his Dad is holding up.

Happy days to you my friends.
I hope yours are filled with music and friends and a glass or two of something fruity.

Big love. xx