Hello and welcome to The Compost Bin. I'm Compostwoman and I live with my family in rural Herefordshire. We have nearly four acres of garden and woodland, all managed organically and to Permaculture principles, which we share with Chickens, Cats and assorted wildlife. We also grow a lot of our own food, run courses in all sorts of things and make a lot of compost!

I am a Master Composter and have spent more than a decade as a volunteer Community Compost adviser with Garden Organic and my local Council.
I'm a self employed Environmental Educator so I run workshops and events where I talk about compost, veg growing, chicken keeping, cooking, preserving and sustainable living. I also run crafts workshops and Forest School/outdoor play sessions in our wood.

We try to live a more self sufficient lifestyle here, as best we can, while still having a comfortable life and lots of fun.


To learn more about us click on the About Compostwoman tab and remember to click on the photos to make them full size!


Sunday, 3 November 2013

Gosh our house smells of apples!

 Today has been a day of much sloshing water of around, to wash apples.
















 And as you can see a lot of water went on me!








Lots of apples.






 We did our stuff today inside the kitchen annexe as it was too cold ( but lovely and sunny) outside - I have more cleaning up to do because we worked inside but at least I could operate the scratter and press - if outside my hands would have stopped working asap due to Raynaulds
 

 

 
Much juice collected - some to be pasteurised for juice tomorrow ( that will be my mornings work!) , most to be converted into Cider 





BUT I feel guilty  ( Gods above, what IS it with me and guilt?)  as there must be 100's of pounds more of apples on the trees more, not picked - but we have more than we can deal with AND no one wants them - I have offered but we live in Herefordshire apple county so no one wants as they ALL have loads surplus

 

Am now drinking 2011 Cider and about to eat some (much needed) food - then will watch Only Connect on catch up TV , and a bit of patchwork also beckons. And probably more Cider

Love this time of year - gathering in all the good stuff I have grown to feed the family and our friends


More of the same, tomorrow :)



4 comments:

  1. I'm not an envious sort of person. BUT I DO envy you your press and muncher!
    I'm sure you have thought of this, but have you put bags of apples at your gate, with a sign saying "Free"
    Gill

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Gill - they are rather nice :) I had to do a lot of paid writing work to earn the money to buy the scratter and the press was my saving spare change for a year bonus :)

      NO ONE wants free apples around here - I have asked - EVERYONE has friends or family who have surplus - it has been a bumper year here :)

      Oh well, the birds will feast :)

      Delete
  2. I have apple envy! My parents' trees didn't produce much this year so all we had was from a friend who didn't want hers. Do you dry apple slices too?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Tplas, yes, that will be the next big job, loading up the dehydrator with lots of apple slices :)

      I make "apple dust" where I dry them until crispy then grind up fine - it is lovely sprinkled on stuff

      Delete

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