Harrington Hometown Christmas

One week ago today our little town celebrated the Christmas season by throwing open it's doors and inviting everyone to come enjoy visiting Santa Clause and doing some local shopping.  It was a fun day and many folks spent several hours shopping and visiting with friends and neighbors. 

Santa and Mrs. Claus were happy to greet all families that came to the Opera House.

And their number one helper and coordinator, Linda was on hand to make sure everything moved along smoothly.

Karen is our resident photographer.  She always does a terrific job.

Vendors, young.....

medium age......

and more experienced, were on hand to help shoppers with their lists.

Next door at the Post and Office shoppers could indulge in gifts for themselves in the form of food and drink.....

as well and a large assortment of locally crafted items.  

If you were unable to make your way to Harrington last weekend, these local businesses are open and ready to help you find the perfect gift for everyone on your list.  You can also grab a bite to eat and a cup and coffee and relax in the warmth and glow of small town hospitality, during this season and throughout the rest of the year.

Apple Cider

Do you remember all those apples we picked in October.  The last of them went in to cider yesterday!  We've all made sauce, and pies, dried  and eaten fresh, and now cider and hopefully, fingers crossed after our pressing party, some hard cider in a few weeks. 

We loaded up the last box of apples and headed to Lynn and Gary's to use their amazing cider facility, aka farm shop!  Last year Gary made a more efficient grinder and the neatest press.  He began this process by milling their own trees in to dimensional lumber and built from there.  It's all a work of art in addition to being functional and efficient.

Here's the process, from start to finish....

Reynald put apples from the orchard box in to tubs.

Which then went to the sink to be washed.

Washed apples went to the grinding crew.

Everyone took a turn at different stations.

Apples going through the grinder.

One person puts the apples in and the other pushes them through with this plunger.

You can see the pulp coming out.  

The grinder has an electric motor that turns the grinding tub.

Next the tubs of pulp are carried to the pressing prep table.  The pulp is loaded in to a bucket which is covered with a mesh cloth.

Crayton is pushing the pulp down to compress is slightly.

Then he used this dish pan to compress even further.  Then the mesh bag is gathered up and the pulp is put in to the press.

Mesh bags loaded with pulp.

Four or five of the mesh bags are put in to the pressing container.  Each bag of pulp is separated by a thick piece of food grade plastic that helps distribute the pressure evenly while pressing.

You can see that the bucket has holes drilled to let the liquid escape.  It drains out on to a cookie sheet that has a hole drilled in it, which drains in to a five gallon bucket, fitted with a sieve to strain the juice.

 

This gives a better view of the pressing bucket with the juice pouring out,

Gary fitted the press with a hydraulic jack that you hook up a compressed air hose to do all the work of the pressing.  

Emptying the pressed pulp in to large containers.

The Maurer chickens are going to feast on the pulp all winter long!

Lynn and Alicia transferring juice to a pouring container,

and then in to clean gallon jugs.

Jon and Alicia keeping the grinder going.

And now Matthew and Jon!

Reynald, Crayton and Gary were the main pressing crew.

And when everything was ground, pressed and jugged, it was time for an amazing soup and bread lunch....

with apple cider and an a choice of additions!  

That's a Wrap

Last week I finished cleaning up the garden, pruned the last grape vine and picked up the fruit tree pruning.  I also planted a few tulips that I could not leave at Costco!  It was a lovely afternoon for late November and I enjoyed being outside.  Colder winter weather is upon us now.

Charlie helped dig up the corn stalks!

This little grape gave us a huge crop this fall.  So happy the gator was available to help haul the pruning away.

Earl came two weeks ago and pruned the fruit trees.  He says he loves pruning because he gets to make a mess and then leave!

Tulips for spring blooms.

Charlie opened the package for me!  Oh Charlie.....

I planted clumps along the east garden fence.  

I like to plant bulbs in groups so when they come up and bloom it looks like a garden bouquet.