John Christianson, owner of Christianson’s Nursery made good use of his apple harvest this year, holding his annual cider press demonstration at the nursery this afternoon. With a strong arm to run the crank, the 1905 vintage press can still grind whole apples into a mash which is then pressed into a sweet cider that is strained into cider jugs for storage. The pressed out pomace (pulpy residue) is then fed to the chickens or composted.
(Above) Katie Saunders, age 11 from Seattle, helps John Christianson and Matt Groff feed the cider press apples at Christianson’s Nursery’s Apple Cider Demonstration.
(Above) John Christianson (left) uses muscle to crank the grinding wheel while Matt Groff (right) tosses different varieties of apples into the hopper. The apples were harvested from John’s home orchard and make a very sweet cider.
(Above) The 1904 Cider Press ready to do its job.
