Annual Apple Cider Party

We weren't sure we would be making cider this year due to the lack of apples around here, but my parents were able to find some so we gave it a go! The weather wasn't especially cooperative for us. It was quite chilly and even rained on us, but everyone bundled up and I think we all survived okay. We sipped hot chocolate and munched on pumpkin cinnamon rolls and Kneaders pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and had a gay old time! The kids ran around and had fun together. The men & boys ran the press and the women & girls washed the apples. My mom and I strained the cider and put it into jugs. Once again, I'm going to be nostalgic and tell you that this is something we used to do as a family in California when I was a child, so it brings back happy memories and makes me smile when I see my kids experiencing the exact same thing. It's a tradition, and we all know how important it is to have traditions in our families. Working together as a family has binding power. I'm grateful to my parents and family who picked all the apples and gave us this opportunity to be together. We ended up with about 46 gallons of cider total this year. Not as much as we thought we would get, but not too shabby either! Our share went right into the freezer for apple cider slush. Good times!