As fall gets into full swing and Golden enters the harvest season, Local Food Matters (LFM) wants to encourage locals to harvest the bounty of their gardens.
To help residents enjoy local foods and fruits, LFM has a simple cider press, which it makes available to the community each year. This year, the organization will have the press at the Museum on several Saturdays and on some evenings, so that the press will not have to travel from house to house during COVID-19.
The press will be available starting on Saturday, Oct. 10, with interested patrons encouraged to book a time online.
LFM asks those looking to book a time to be patient, as the process is still being worked and a few hiccups are anticipated.
Other dates will be announced in the weeks to come.
For those with a bounty of apples who may wish to press them in the comfort of their own home, LFM says to content them directly at lfmgolden@gmail.com in order to potentially arrange for a time.
For those who are pressing at the museum, please follow the Golden Rules of physical distancing, wearing masks when distancing is not possible and frequent hand washing.
Patrons must bring their own apples and containers for the ciders and mash.
Children must be under the supervision of their attached adults, as there are parts of the press which could be dangerous if not used properly.
Cost of use of the press is free for members of LFM. For those who are non-members, a membership can be purchased online or at the museum, for exact change. Individual cost of one year of membership is $20, $40 for families, with increased rates for lifetime membership.
For those not interested in becoming a member, LFM suggests a donation of $10 an hour, with funds going to their reserve fund for repair and replacement and to offer their volunteers an honorarium.
Local Food Matters is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization. We are trying this new way of making the press available so that we can reduce wear and tear on the press itself and on our volunteers.
Those who use the press will be required to sign a waiver.
LFM would also like to hear from you on how your cider turned out and how you decide to use it.
“It is so tasty, you might drink it all fresh in a few days,” suggests the organization.
“You might have to make room in your freezer so that you can enjoy it later in the winter, perhaps heated with some spices. Or maybe you choose to let nature take its course and allow it to ferment.”
Send an email with photos of the cider creations to lfmgolden@gmail.com.
