Spent the day getting stuff ready for this year’s Cambridge Apple Day, which is only a few weeks away now on Saturday 1 October. Same venue as last year.  We’ll get started around 10 a.m. and keep pressing until the apples are gone or the cider’s all been drunk.

Lots to look forward to this year.  We’ve got a load of cider left over from last year and the new press will get its first try out.

If you’re coming (and we hope you are), please drop me or Jane an email so we know how many people to expect.

For those who don’t know us (the blog’s picked up a few readers since last year), I’m afraid it’s not open to the public – friends, friends of friends, family and neighbours only.  You could always make friends though?

We need lots of help scrumping this year.  The trees that provided most of last year’s fruit are bare due to some freak weather around these parts.  We’ve got a couple of leads, but we’re relying on you to get scrumping too.

Three simple rules for scrumping:

1. Make sure you ask permission, but don’t be afraid to ask.  Most people don’t make good use of their apples and will thank you for saving them the chore of filling the green bin.  If you see a tree in someone’s garden, knock on the door.  It’s the big society.

2. Variety is really important, but let’s stick to apples this year.  Our method of cider making relies on getting a great mix of different types of apple: eaters, cookers, crabs, so try to scrump a couple of trees at least.  Last year someone went a step too far and scrumped a load of crab pears.

3. Leave them on the trees as long as you can, but collect the windfalls regularly.  Chuck out anything with mould and don’t pick from orchards with livestock.  Feel free to drop them round to Phil and Jane’s house if you can’t store them until the big day – the tump is ready and waiting.

Happy scrumping.