Two new books in the Heath Free Public Library
Growing apples and making cider have a long history in Heath. On page 38 of the Heath, Mass. Centennial Aug 19, 1885 book, a passage from the Historical Address by John H. Thompson reads
Orchards were set out early, and in the virgin soil soon bore a bountiful supply of apples, and there was a cider mill in every neighborhood. In the autumn the farmer rolled into his cellar a dozen or twenty barrels of cider, and the neighbor who dropped in of a long winter evening would have felt himself inhospitably received, if he had not been entertained with a dish of rosy cheeked apples and a brimming mug of cider.
You can learn about the great variety of apples that are available and how to use them in Apples of Uncommon Character: 123 Heirlooms, Modern Classics, & Little-Known Wonders, Plus 20 Sweet and Savory Recipes. Library catalog listing: http://bark.cwmars.org/eg/opac/record/3422290
Ready to try your hand at cider making? Check out this new book: The New Cider Maker's Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for Craft Producers by Claude Jolicoeur. Library catalog listing: http://bark.cwmars.org/eg/opac/record/3156571
Want some hands-on apple or cider experiences? The 20th Annual Franklin County CiderDays is coming soon: Friday, October 31st through Sunday, November 2nd, 2014. Schedules and more details at http://www.ciderdays.org/
Two CiderDays events related to the books featured above:
- Fruit Exploring with John Bunker and Rowan Jacobsen, author of Apples of Uncommon Character, on Saturday at Apex Orchards, Shelburne FREE
- Ice Cider Making with Claude Jolicoeur, author of The New Cider Maker's Handbook, on Saturday at the Shelburne Buckland Community Center. Claude will also present a workshop on Apples for Juice and Cider on Sunday at Bear Swamp Orchard in Ashfield. FREE (taste hard cider with the purchase of a $5 glass)