Published on 01 Oct 2019 | Topics: #VisitGreatAyton
A successful and wonderful turnout for community apple pressing event.
A local community apple pressing event held at The Royal Oak in Great Ayton, organised by Caryn Loftus of Moor Sustainable, enjoyed a successful and wonderful turnout on Saturday 28th September.
Members of the public were invited to come along with their surplus apples (and containers) so they could turn them into juice with one of the various pressing machines available at the event.
"Approximately 2 kg of apples converts to 750ml juice depending on the variety and fresh juice will store in the fridge for about 3 days. You can also freeze the juice in containers, or you can pasteurise the juice (heat to 80 degrees) and store in clean sterilised bottles and it will last for months. Slightly bruised apples are fine to press, but you need to wash them and cut out any bad bits. It is fine to press cooking or eating apples, but it is a good idea to mix very sour ones with a sweeter variety to get a nice tasting juice." - Caryn Loftus.
The event was so well attended that eager apple pressers were queueing, waiting to turn their apples into juice. We were lucky to try one apple presser's juice which was wonderful, you couldn't find a more delicious and natural fruit juice anywhere else than freshly pressed.
Caryn succesfully managed to secure funding of £4,192.00 from Awards for All, a funding body set-up by the National Lottery. The fund assists groups and individuals with grants of between £300 and £10,000 who can prove they are making a difference in the community.
Moor Sustainable will be holding a series of further apple pressing events as follows:
- Saturday 5th October - Lythe Village Hall, High Street Lythe, YO21 3RT
- Wednesday 9th October Botton Village, YO21 2NJ (2-4pm only)
- Friday 11th, Friday 18th and Saturday 26th October - Beyond Boundaries, Fowl Green Farm, Commondale YO21 2HN
- Saturday 9th November - Mickleby Village Hall, The Lane Mickleby, TS13 5LU
If you come to one of the apple pressing events you will need to roughly wash your apples beforehand and cut out any bad bits. You will also need to bring containers for the juice which will need lids for transportation, eg plastic tubs, glass or plastic bottles with screw caps. If you want to pasteurise your juice, this can be done for you at one of the days at Beyond Boundaries in Commondale. You will need to bring clean screw cap glass bottles with you – these can be reused wine or soft drink bottles if they are cleaned out well. There will be a charge for sterilising of 50p a bottle and you can collect them the next day.
So, start saving up some bottles and come along to one of the juicing days and enjoy your own delicious juice. Help save money and the environment.
For more information visit www.moorsustainable.org.uk/environment/community-apple-pressing/apple-pressing-events/ or pick up a leaflet from local shops and libraries.
Information provided by Caryn Loftus of Moor Sustainable.