Larry had it easy this year "Apple Cider making 2010"

After reading Michael's e-mails for the last 2 years about all the service he performed on his mission and how much he enjoyed doing it I had a wonderful idea that we could ask the missionaries here in Walla Walla to help with making our apple cider in the years we don't have family around to help us.  Larry asked them and they were more than willing to come and help.  Larry and I picked the apples that were left over the course of 1 1/2 weeks. The ones I didn't use for my apple pie filling, apple butter, applesauce, juicing, eating and sharing with others.

The Elders at work.

Larry really had it nice this year. See how relaxed he is. He hardly had to crank or twist. I on the other hand did everything I normally do. Wash the cider press and all the equipment,  strain and pour the pressed cider into gallon jugs and then set them aside for settling. Plus odds and ends of the other jobs when their isn't cider to pour. Then cleaning everything up when it's all done. Larry helped with the clean up too.

After the cider settles overnight I begin the pasteurizing of it by siphoning the cider out of the jugs into the pots so the stuff that settled stays in the jug. I then wash out the jugs and heat the cider up to 185 degrees. I then pour the cider back into the clean gallon jugs. We got 68 gallons of cider this year. It took 5 hours to press the cider and 10 hours for me to pasteurize the cider plus clean up. But we have cider for a year, it's work but it's worth it. A large cost saving.

A huge thank you to the Elder's who helped us this year. The thing with having the Elder's help is that we could have new helpers every year:)   Now who can I get to do my job?