Cider Pressing with Friends!

My “shirttail cousin” Amy invited me to join the family at their lavender farm for a day of cider pressing, and I was immediately in. I love apple cider, but I underestimated just how fun it would be to spend the day pressing apples together — or how satisfying it would feel to leave with ten half-gallon jugs in tow.

The day unfolded at an easy pace: chopping apples, taking turns at the press, and lingering over mugs of warm “chai-der” while the cider flowed. It was productive, social, and deeply enjoyable.

If you have access to a few apple trees, or know someone who does, local outfitters often rent cider presses by the day. All you really need is time, good people, and a willingness to get a little sticky.