Sun shines on a juicy day out in Kellaton

Villagers gathered at Lower Kellaton Farm Barn in glorious sunshine last Saturday to watch, learn, and lend a hand at this year’s rearranged Parish apple pressing event. The Speidel mill and metal press from Orchard Link were given a thorough workout as more than twenty sacks of apples from orchards in Kellaton, Beeson, and further afield were turned into just shy of 300 bottles of  juice. As usual, younger members of the community got stuck in, packing the “cheeses” with freshly milled apple pulp, which the giant press turned into rivers of delicious golden nectar. The bottling line had to be on its toes as the endless flow of juice demanded to be filtered, bottled, pasteurised and labelled. Sustenance, in the form of tea, coffee, soup and pasties, kept the workers victualled and by 3.30pm the last sack of apples was exhausted, as were the volunteers! Hearty thanks to Fran and Jonathan Ansell for their kind hospitality on the day.