You know that autumn has arrived at our house

When the cider making starts

We have a day with Granny and Granddad

Picking the last of the apples

Sorting the good from the rotten

Chopping and mashing and juicing

Ready for Daddy to make his cider

It is a wonderful way to spend a day

True Kentish countryside living

And very productive messy play!

Esther and William were involved with every stage of the process

As we chopped the apples

Selecting the good and rejecting the bad

Esther and William threw the bad bits into the wheelbarrow

Ready to be composted

The sliced apple was then chopped into smaller pieces

With a masher attached to Daddy’s drill

Esther loved helping with this part

Next the mashed apple was put through the press

The juice was stored in a large plastic barrel

And the remaining skin and bits of apple

Were taken from the press to the compost heap

By Esther and William in their mini wheelbarrows

William in particular thought that this was a brilliant job

He was the champion composter of the day

What a lovely way to spend an autumn afternoon

Very Darling Buds of May

As my parents would say

A Kentish country afternoon

Making the best of the season

Hello Autumn!