Community Apple Pressing Day

Join Ward Davis with his community apple press outside of Willow Bend this Wednesday at 4PM! Bring apples and a container. The press is located on the east side of the building (you’ll see it from parking lot).

The process starts by collecting the apples, then cleaning them. That cleaning includes washing and often removing damaged spots and worms. That prep can be done at home, but we also have a prep table at the pressing site.

Processing starts with “grinding” to convert the apples into a mush so the juice can get out. The mush is placed in a frame on the press with wrapped in cloth to make pads of mush.  Slats are added between them to allow the juice to run out. Several layers of pads are used for each pressing. A heavy top is placed on top of the stack and pressed with a hydraulic jack. The juice runs to the bottom and is collected in buckets. The juice is typically transferred to glass or plastic jugs.