Abbotts Ann ‘Apple Day’

Rosemary Groves

SIR George Young MP made a welcome, informal, visit to Abbotts Ann to see the unique village apple press in action at ‘Apple Day’ in October.

It was quite a contrast to last year when they inaugurated the press sheltering under an umbrella!

Abbotts Ann’s residents had rallied round with trailers and barrows, and unexpectedly produced a good quantity of fruit for pressing, despite a generally poor apple harvest. Quality did not matter as so long as the fruit was not actually mould, it would produce good juice and fallers were ideal. Children whooped in delight on the climbing frames outside the War Memorial Hall seeming not to mind that their swing had been converted to its seasonal use as the village apple press. The first stage in apple pressing is ‘scratting’ — chopping and crushing the apples. They are then piled into the press forming a ‘cheese’ and the heavy screw is turned with a large wooden pole to squeeze out the juice.

Looking like ancient Roman galley-slaves strong men leaned back hard on the pole and gallons of amber juice flowed gratifyingly into waiting buckets for distribution to villagers.

There was also a smaller, domestic press where enthusiastic youngsters flexed their muscles chopping, ‘scratting’ and pressing small quantities brought by individuals wanting juice from their own produce. The traditional stalls included apple-bobbing, competing to cut the longest strip of peel, and an apple ’tea-time bake competition. Experts from Sparsholt College came with varieties of apples to sample, and were happy to identify any unknown crops brought to them. The day was organised by Abbotts Ann Green Action. Nothing was wasted — some of the pulp was taken for compost and the rest to feed local pigs. Much fun was had by all and, as the icing on the (apple) cake, the rain had the good grace to hold off until the last drop of juice was bottled. What villagers do with it at home is, of course, a private matter — but the last of the previous year’s cider production was rapidly consumed at the village fete in August!