Clinton News-Record, 1984-10-17, Page 27PAOE 4A—CUNTONNEI/VS-RECORD, WEDNESDAY, OdrOBEH 1984
n the I11nd
Fall brings with it the sweet smell of apples on the
By James Friel
GODERICH TWP. - The sweet smell of
apples fills the air during the approach to
the farm. It is especially heavy near a
garage added to yet another addition and
eventually connected to the house. About
half a dozen people are working in the main
area`this sunny, crisp October day.
A red structure with a hydraulic cylinder
pressing a construction of beam sized
chunks of wood, maple racks, Dacron mats
and ground apple sits to the left of the en-
trance through the garage door. A white
bucket collects the last juice crushed from
the 18 bushels of ground apples.
Early October has heralded harvest at Art
Bell's fruit farm and as the apples are col-
lected some of the produce is converted into
cider.
Art Bell and his eldest son Jirn operate the
press most of the time. Another of Art's
sons, currently attending high school, also
helps with the work after classes.
Self made press does
a great job for Art
Bell and his family
Art built the press himself about three
years ago to replace an older, smaller press,
he rapidly,explained. Most of the parts are
from the United States, from the $1,000
grinder to the stainless steel nails holding
the racks together. Part of an old truck was
also incorporated lltto the assembly.
It can press about 18 bushels of apples in
three quarters of an hour and produce abut
60"gallons of cider per pressing. Using Art's
press as a model for another would cost a
would-be operator about $5,000 in materials
alone.
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Every Friday, pressing day, which will
continue through until spring if the apples
are available, Art and Jim work through the
day to make about 600 gallons of cider
before the heavy weekend trade.
They fill a ban which sits on the forks of the
forklift with four varieties of apples, in-
cluding the popular Macintosh. "Not too
many people realize a mix is used," said
Art.
The truck raises the bin with its tapered
end to the grinder and apples are fed into the
machine to start the conversion. A stainless
steel chute guides the resulting mixture
from the rear of the machine, over the
overflow pan and to the front where it is put
into the Dacron mats as preparation for
pressing.
Art attempts to spread the ground apple
evenly to prevent a burst mat when
pressure is placed upon the mats and racks.
He uses Dacron instead of nylon, in spite of
the $65 a piece price tag, because it is more
resistant to stretching.
As the apple bin empties and the alter-
nated racks and mats are built higher, cider
pours into the white pails at cone end of the
pan. When enough apples have been put
through the grinder, Art applies a bit of
pressure through the hydraulic arm and the
cider continues to flow.
"You could get 90 per cent of the cider just
by standing on it," he said as the flow
lessens to a trickle.
Constant pressure is maintained until the
cycle is completed. The mats are shaken of
the apple pulp and the process starts again.
The Bells sell their produce at fall fairs
and farmer's markets and cover a
substantial area. This is a change from the
days when much of their fruit was sold to
local stores. Now these grocery stores are
having their fruit shipped from Toronto,
leaving local producers to move their goods
by other means.
The recent International Plowing Match
cost the Bells about a $1,000 for a 20 foot
sales frontage, hydro and gas. With this high
overhead a wet day can drastically affect
sales and can make the difference between
red and black ink in the week's ledgers.
He predicted that by 1986 presses will be
licenced by the government and he is cur-
rently upgrading his facility year byyear to
meet this expectation.
Art feels confident that his farm has been
established long enough to weather the
changes brought about by government and
changing distribution lines. He is proud the
farm provides income for two families and
looks to the future without too much con-
rern.
arm
Art Bell
making
using 18
of Goderich Township arranges the acron mat used as part of the process of
apple cider. The fruit farmer makes about 600 gallons of the juice every Friday,
bushels of apples for each of about 10 pressings. (James Friel photo )
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