Thursday, November 11, 2010

Community Cider Pressing

A few weeks back we hosted a community cider pressing with the family apple press.

The day before, the kids and I combed the neighborhood for unpicked apple trees. When we found a full tree we'd knock on the door of the house and ask the owner if we could pick. We'd fill our wagon, clean up after ourselves and call out "THANK YOU!" as we pulled away. It felt like we were thanking the tree as much as we were thanking the homeowner. Often in the middle of picking I'd find the kids all lined up on the sidewalk happily eating a fresh-picked apple. All smiles. Juice dripping down their chins.

My favorite quote from one of those forays is the guy who said, "Oh yeah, those apple aren't any good for eating. Take them all. I don't use them". The kids and I all agreed that those were definitely the BEST apples we had ever eaten. I still meet people who really feel that store bought anything is better than homegrown and homemade.

In our neighborhood alone we glean apples, persimmons, quince, oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes, peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, pears, loquats, blackberries, pomegranates, and walnuts. A vast majority of that food goes completely unpicked by the homeowners. Sometimes they seem relieved that we will "haul" it away. They see it as something they have to clean up instead of something wonderful to eat. Then, they drive to the store to buy produce from Mexico and Chile.

I have brought folks persimmon bread (with a recipe attached), apricot jam, quince jam, and freshly pressed apple juice. It helps when someone else sees the value in something we take for granted.

In the summer Petaluma does have a "Produce Swap". It's held down at the Fourth and Sea parking lot across from the Post Office. More and more folks are seeing the bounty of the urban food forest.

Fresh and in season. There is nothing like it!


Martha said...

This is wonderful that you glean in our "hood". If it's not too late, did you ask Mary & Bill on the corner of Oak & Howard-our side of the street. They have a yummy apple tree-sometimes small, but very tasty. Also, I am starting to get some black mission figs. I could share!

Homegrown Evolution said...

Looking forward to fulfilling your dream and sipping some of that cider when we come up around Christmas. Nothing like fresh pressed, unpasteurized cider--and hard cider, of course!