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Eye on the Sky

Recent Highlights

Apple Season Arrives

Wednesday, 09/08/10 Noon and 7pm

Listen (48:08)
MP3 | Download MP3
By Jane Lindholm
VPR/Ric Cengeri

MacIntosh, Paula Red, Honey Crisp and Cortland are just a few of the apple varieties grown in the region. And this year the season has started earlier than usual thanks to an early bloom followed by a hot summer. It's all about apples on Vermont Edition. We find out what varieties are best for picking, baking and eating right now and about the labor pressures that apple growers are facing. Listen 

Plus Valley News political reporter John Gregg provides an update on next Tuesday's New Hampshire primary election. Listen

And we hear the next entry in VPR commentator Larry Doane's audio journal from Afghanistan. Doane, a Captain in the Vermont National Guard, reports on his unit's daily patrols. Listen

apples

VPR's Jane Lindholm visited Happy Valley Orchard in Middlebury and learned how to make cider from the mill's owner, Stan Pratt.  She brought back these photos.

Listen to Jane's report.

Happy Valley Orchard in Middlebury
A Happy Valley apple
Owner Stan Pratt loads apples
The apples tip into the hopper.
A worker checks for bad apples and guides the rest on to the elevator.
Apples travel up the elevator to the washer.
After going through the grinder the apple mash is ready to be squeezed.
Pressure squeezes the juice out of the apple pulp.
After all the liquid is squeezed out the apple residue almost looks like cardboard.
The cider gets stored in these stainless steal bins for radiation and then bottling.
The Happy Valley farm stand.

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