This year’s Village Apple Day is set for Sunday 20th October.
Organised by Wittenham Warriors it will be hosted by the Sylva Wood Centre.
How does it work?
1 Bring along boxes/bags of washed, dry apples that are free from bruising and mould to the Wood Centre from 10am – 12noon. The quality of the fruit determines the quality of the juice.
2 Your apples are weighed to calculate how many bottles of juice they will provide and you will be issued with a collection ticket. Approximately 2kg apples = one 75cl bottle
3 Your apples will be added to others if necessary to make up a full load to go into the Apple Mill where they will be crushed.
4 The crushed apples are then put into the Apple Press which with the aid of high pressure water will be pressed to produce juice (no water is added to juice). Vitamin C is added to prevent apples browning.
5 The juice is then bottled and capped (bottles are provided) and placed into the pasteuriser where it is heated to at least 70C and held at this temperature for 20 minutes, this kills off any bacteria and gives the juice a shelf life of up to 18 months.
6 Once cooled the bottles of juice are ready for collection and consumption. Collection is from 1pm until 3pm.
To cover the cost of bottles/caps/extra pasteuriser/equipment there will be a charge £3 per bottle of juice. If you would like to show your appreciation for the service there will be a donations box, any monies will go back into future village projects.
If you would like to donate or have more apples than you want to juice please bring them along as the juice can be sdold to others in the community who don’t have access to apple trees.
If you are unable to get your apples to the Wood Centre then let the organisers know and they will try to arrange collection.
Volunteers are needed to help on the day. Weighing, sorting, pulping, juicing, bottling, pasteurising, labelling, feeding the volunteers plus lots more, its really good fun!
Contact Sally Duff; 01865 407788/07899 097612 richsal2000@yahoo.co.uk