Apple Press at LostMeadowvt.com

Fruit and Cider Talk from Calais, Vermont. Maintained by Terry Bradshaw, fruit guy.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Fall is Here: Lost Meadow Cider Mill Opens September 12, 2009

Calais,VT:

Lost Meadow Cider Mill will be open weekends this fall from September 12
through October 31. The mill is located on Wheeler Road in Calais, VT
just off County Road, two miles south of Maple Corner or about seven miles
from the Main Street rotary in Montpelier. When open signs can be
followed from Main Street in Montpelier

New for 2009, the mill is offering cider shares based on a community
supported agriculture (CSA) model. Shareholders prebuy juice at the
beginning of the season and receive a weekly gallon from September 19
through the end of October. This amounts to seven gallons for the price
of six ($30). Cider will be available for pickup at the mill on
Saturdays or Sundays. Share numbers will be limited, and fermenting
stock isn't included but CSA members may be offered specials on cidre
blends. Call (802) 922-2591 or email terryb@ lostmeadowvt .com .

Fresh juice will be available for pickup Saturday or Sunday 12:00-6:00
PM or until it's gone. Over the course of the season the mill will
squeeze up to fifty varieties of apples resulting in a unique and
refreshing product that is an entirely different product from your
average jug cider. Juice quality is the primary focus at Lost Meadow,
where cider is our main product, not an afterthought. Lost Meadow Cider
Mill produces two main juice products. Sweet Juice ('Cider') is sold in
new one-gallon jugs only. Fermenting stock ('Cidre') is made from
specific juice blends intended for making hard cider. These blends are
selected to provide a juice with balanced sugar, acid, tannin, and
flavor profile suitable for making a quality finished cider. Varieties
used change with the season and consist of a base, usually a blend of
Liberty, Cortland, Gala, or Golden (Delicious and Russet) and a
bittersweet/sharp component such as Foxwhelp, Ellis Bitter, Yarlington
Mill, Chisel Jersey, Dabinett, and some local crabapples. Blended cidre
juice is filled into the customer's container only. Carboys and other
supplies can be had from Local Potion in Plainfield, VT and Vermont
Homebrew Supply in Winooski, VT. For a basic cider customers only need a
clean, sanitized fermenter and airlock. Fermenter's blends sell out
every year so reservations of juice are encouraged. Customers who wish
to reserve juice or schedule a pick up time can call owner Terry
Bradshaw at (802) 922-2591 or email terryb@ lostmeadowvt .com. The mill
operates on a strict food safety plan and may not be open when pressing
sweet juice. Pressing of fermenting stock may be viewed as available.

All cider apples are sourced from Vermont or New Hampshire orchards and
are tree picked, whole, sound fruit. The variety mix changes seasonally
and only the freshest fruit available are pressed, not cold-storage
packing house cast-offs. Source orchards follow modern Integrated Pest
Management protocols to ensure that their produce is free of harmful
residues and grown in an environmentally responsible manner. Some fruit
are sourced from organic or unsprayed trees depending on availability
and quality. As a retail cider mill Lost Meadow Cidery is exempt from
federal pasteurization requirements and as such none of the juice is
treated. The cidery follows a food safety and sanitation plan based on
industry HACCP and SSOP standards.

Lost Meadow Orchard and Cider Mill are run by Terry Bradshaw and his
family. Terry has been in the orchard business for fourteen years and
has made cider every one of them. His fermented ciders have won numerous
national awards in American Homebrew Association-sanctioned events and
have developed a devoted local following. These hard ciders are never
for sale, but he is always glad to show you how to make your own.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Pick-Your-Own Ettiquette

It's not as easy as many think! Follow the guidelines and support your local orchards this fall.


Saturday, August 01, 2009

Big Deal for VT Cidermakers...Peter Mitchel Cider Course

Hi all, sorry for the late posting. The Vermont Grape and Wine Council
and Vermont Tree Fruit Growers Association in conjunction with the VT
Agency of Agriculture are sponsoring Peter Mitchell's Cider Making -
Principles & Practice <http://www.mitchell-food-drink.co.uk/> course to
be offered in August 11-14. This is the intensive course is the premier
cider class in the US/UK. Peter runs these courses annually at Cornell
and Washington State University, as well as in England. This is a really
big thing to have him present here in Vermont, and I highly recommend
that anyone with an interest in cider who can swing the time attend.

Involving the world's leading experts in cider making and orcharding,
this course aims to provide you with:
A thorough grounding in the main principles and practices of orcharding
and cider and perry making, a wealth of knowledge, insight and technical
know-how, drawn from many years of practical experience, the skills,
knowledge and understanding necessary for the production of quality
cider and perry.
The course is suitable for beginners, new businesses and existing
producers (large & small-scale) alike.

Sorry about the late notice but we were
looking to fill it first with VGWC/VTFGA folks. At last notice there
were about ten slots left. Because of this industry sponsorship tuition
for the course is only $100. Please contact Steve Justis at VT Agency of
Ag for signups.

Tel: (802) 828-3827
Fax: (802) 828-3831
steve.justis@state.vt.us
www.vermontagriculture.com


TerryB

--

================
Terence Bradshaw
Lost Meadow Orchard and Cidery
Calais, VT
(802)229-2004
http://www.lostmeadowvt.com
views expressed are mine only,
and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer
or other affiliation to which I may belong