Apples in Abundance

Harvest season. Crisp mornings and chilly nights. Bright red’s, yellow’s and oranges littering sidewalks, streets and gravel roads. Delicious concoctions that warm our bellies and our souls. There are so many things that I love about autumn and so many things to be thankful for. As each season on the farm brings new life and new bounties, I have come to appreciate many of the things I never imagined I would have access to.

A few weeks ago, my roommates and I spent two days in Pescadero, staying at the cliff side Pigeon Point Lighthouse hostel overlooking the tenacious Pacific. We woke up to a foggy morning and sat wrapped up in sleeping bags with warm oatmeal in our hands, and watched gulls fly in as waves crashed against the jagged rocks below. The rest of our day was to be spent harvesting apples and I was hoping for some sunshine and a little bit of warmth. This was my first time harvesting apples and I never realized how gentle and careful one should be when picking them from their trees. I also realized that no REAL apple is perfect. They often have holes, spots or surface bruises that make them seem inedible. We often see shiny, perfectly shaped apples in supermarkets that have been grown in controlled environments so that each one tastes exactly the same. These apples weren’t perfect. And one most certainly did not taste the same as another. After spending a few hours picking and gently placing them into boxes, we sorted them into ones that could be eaten and ones that we could press into cider. As we worked into the afternoon, the sun warmed our bodies and an endless supply of apples filled our bellies.

[Ominous, abandoned lighthouse nestled on a foggy coastline]

Back on the farm, this weekend was full of fall activities. We spent this past Sunday pressing our abundance of apples into fresh cider. The press that we used required stamina and strength, as it takes multiple rounds to make just a few gallons and the process is entirely hand-cranked. We pressed about three gallons of cider, and later warmed it over the stove with cloves, cardamom and cinnamon…the most delicious fall drink there is.

It was also time to harvest the olive trees that were planted on the property in the early 1800’s during the missionary movement throughout California. To harvest olives, large tarps are placed beneath a cluster of trees that we then divide and conquer, stripping the olives from their branches much like a giraffe strips leaves from a tree. After clearing as many branches as possible, the olives are gathered in the tarps and collected in baskets that are then weighed before going to the mill. With volunteers and staff, we harvested close to 1,900 pounds of olives…which should make several gallons of delicious and flavorful oil.

As easy as it is to be consumed in all that our day to day lives demand from us, realizing all that we have to be thankful for can simply be abandoned.  I have found it necessary in my life to take time to reflect on the some of the things I couldn’t live without to center myself and bring things into perspective. As far away as I am, I cannot be thankful enough for my friends and family that have been supportive of my journey and I continue to be thankful for the experiences that I’ve had here and the ones I have to look forward to.