MAKIN' APPLE JUICE

Every year, since we moved here 8 1/2 years ago - I dreamed of doing something with all those apples we get every year from our four apple trees.  Well, of course, when apples are ready in August/September, I am knee deep into everything else in life and don't have time to do something with all those apples.  So this year I took several 5 gallon buckets and collected some apples, placed them in the basement of the granary and hoped the temperature out there would keep them for a few months so I could try something new with them during the cold, harsh, boring winter months..  I searched and searched for a juicer that didn't cost $400 and finally found one - this December.

 It was perfectly priced at under $30 and I snatched it up!  So the other week I took out the juicer, went out to the granary and took one of the 5 gallon buckets and decided to make some juice!  Yay!
Well here's the thing - when apples sit in a temp higher then 45 degrees - they go bad.  Well, not totally bad but softer and some go really bad (brown).

So I got about 12 apples that were actually somewhat good, at least usable, out of that full 5 gallon bucket.  And what I found out about that juicer is that apples should be really fresh.  Because these apples, although still in good shape, were a little soft and this caused a very thick juice, too thick.

not draining

 And I also found out that, although it was thick - it was incredible!  Sweet, incredibly tasty and nothing like you buy at the store (no surprise there). I tried to strain the juice with the milk strainer, that didn't work so I took some cheese cloth that I use for making cheese and let gravity take over.

 Ya know how you see jugs of juice at the store and the label states: not 100 percent juice or made from concentrate or (what is the worse) contains no fruit juice.  HELLO??!?!? How can you actually label it JUICE if it doesn't contain JUICE!

But I digress - my goal to make apple juice is to create (yes - create - (my curse)) hard cider.  I still have to go get the yeast to make hard cider but I wanted to get the juicer working and understand it's potential.  12 apples actually made about 3 cups of juice.

 Wow!  But I figure that if they were fresher, they might produce more, I will find out next year - when I get out there, collect the apples at the perfect harvest time and get out the juicer!  This winter I am gonna go out and get the yeast and try to make the hard cider with what I have left of the apples in the granary.  Ahhh… the life of a farmer… always trying to make the most of what the farm produces….