The School celebrated Apple Day on Wednesday 30 September which involved taking part in apple-related activities during the day and culminated in apple pressing in the afternoon.
During the day the children tasted apple cake, printed with apples, made playdough apples, scooped apples with a net, ran the apple and spoon race and sang apple songs.
There was great excitement at 12.00 pm when Amy from The National Trust arrived in a large truck containing the apple press. From 1.00 pm children were invited to throw apples in the “scratter” (any defects were cut out beforehand). The scratter broke down the apples into pulp which fell into a large trug.
The children were then invited to scoop the pulp into the apple press. Each frame (made from wood and metal) was covered with waxed cheesecloth into which they scooped the pulp. Each layer is called a “cheese” (there were 6 cheeses in total). Once the final layer had been added a large oak block was placed on top and the screw turned to apply pressure and press juice out. The juice came out of the bottom of the press, was sieved and poured through funnels into jugs. Each class was given bottles of delicious apple juice to taste and the pulp was put into our compost bins.
Various types of apples and apple cake were available to taste and the harvest raffle was drawn at the end of the day.
A huge thank you goes to the children who enthusiastically took part in the learning experience, parents/carers who supported the event and donated apples and bottles, staff who provided the raffle prizes and a special thank you goes to Amy from The National Trust, Mr Curry and Mrs Curry who organised the event.
To browse our Apple Day gallery click here.
For more details of local apple pressing please check out the following website (www.nationaltrust.org.uk/leigh-woods/things-to-see-and-do/events/).