We made our first batch of the season over the weekend.

There are jobs for everyone. 

The kids are great at filling the buckets up with apples.

The apples get all chopped up...

...and that's when the young muscular bucks come in handy, turning the wheel to press the juice out.

This cider press is over 100 years old, originally not motorized but my handyman father-in-law Kenny rigged up a motor on it years ago.

We're on the 5th generation now for this cider press. It's served this family well!

After the juice comes out, it get strained...

...which takes many strong hands working together.

There may or may not have been some finger/hand-licking involved...

But Gramaw is always glad for the help!

After it is strained into the coolers, it is bottled.

At exactly what point the "juice" becomes "cider," I've never been sure. But when the bottles are filled, the CIDER is made!

When we finished the cider, Papaw Kenny wanted to take us on a damn dam walk through his woods...

...to see the dam the beavers have built in his creek. Exhibit #1.

Exhibit #2 of beaver activity...several gnawed-off trees in the area.

Exhibit #3.  Several beaver "slides" down the bank into the creek.

Yep, pretty sure he's got a busy beaver family hanging around!

Pretty clusters of elderberries this time of year...

A little botany lesson from Great-Papaw Kenny to end a wonderful afternoon in the country.

Cider and a dam walk.