top of page
About

About Slowpoke

Mieko, Milo and Dion moved to the farm in 2019 with the goal of starting a cider orchard and cidery, growing food for our family, and slowing things down a little .   The orchard is getting established despite some ups and downs, planning for the cidery is in full swing, and we're grateful for the food we grow and enjoy.  We're still working on finding our inner Slowpoke.

​

We met Rae and Frank the first time we took a load of foraged apples to be pressed at Scrumpy's Apple Press & Cider House.  Such wonderful, knowledgable  and friendly people!  We were really impressed with their operation and when we found out that 2021 was to be their last year running the business, we jumped at the opportunity to start up our farm-based fruit pressing operation using their model.  We bought some equipment, built a barn, and with some amazing guidance from Rae and Frank we opened Slowpoke Cider Farm's Fruit Press in 2022!  We hope we can do Scrumpy's proud!

dd3214ae-5151-48be-a087-287834da386b.JPG

The Cider Farm

There's a lot going on at Slowpoke Cider Farm.  It took us a couple of tries to get our cider trees established.   With over 400 1-2 year old trees in the nursery, We were excited to start planting out our 5 acre orchard in the big field this past spring.  Mainly cider and heritage apple varieties, our cider orchard is a slow but steady first step towards starting our all natural farmhouse cidery, tasting and picnic areas and store (stay tuned for more on that!)

​

Our cider apple nursery will continue to raise newly grafted trees on B118 (semi-standard) and B9 (semi-dwarf) rootstock for sale to other orchardists and cider enthusiasts.  Contact us for more information or to place an advance order.

​

What else is going on?  There's Appa and Momo, our two Kune Kune pigs.  Meant as a breeding pair this rolly polly couple have become besties (strictly plutonic) and spend their days happily grazing clover and grasses and waiting for apple cast offs and belly rubs!  We keep a small flock of laying hens for the family, and grow meat birds and fresh veggies seasonally as well.  

Cider Farm
11A119AB-B92C-43B4-8A83-2220586A3AA5.JPG
Anchor 1
Fruit Press Anchor

Apples, Pears & Quince:

You wash and pack your harvested fruit in containers of your choice (not loose in the back of your truck please!)

​

Drop off your fruit and clean containers for your juice between 7:30 and 9:00 am.  See FAQs for help estimating juice volume.  Bring containers large enough to hold this volume + 15%.

  • We assist in offloading your fruit onto our receiving table and inspecting your fruit while transferring it to standard milk crates.  

  • We carefully grind/mill and press your fruit using our commercial grade fruit grinder/mill and hydro bladder presses into the clean juice containers you provided.​

  • On request, we will add sulphites to juice being used for cider and perry making to stabilize the juice.

​

Pick up your fresh juice between 3:30 and 5:00 pm.  Payment taken at pickup.  

Grapes:

We offer a few different services depending on your needs:

  • Crush, de-stemming and press in one visit for fresh juice or white wine making. 

  • Crush and de-stemming only for primary fermentation of red wines

  • Pressing of pulp only following primary fermentation ​

 

Drop off your fruit and clean containers for your pulp or juice between 7:30 and 9:00 am.  We won't transfer your grapes to milk crates (they don't roll down our receiving table like apples) but will use other methods of measuring the milk crate equivalents (MCs) of your order:

  • For crush, de-stem and press in one visit, please drop off in containers of known volume (easily converted to MCs). 4 MCs minimum order.​  

  • For crush and de-stemming only, we measure the volume of pulp produced and convert this to MCs

  • For pressing of pulp only, fully drain your pulp and drop off in 5 imp. gallon pails (2 pails minimum order).

 

Pick up your fresh pulp or juice between 3:30 and 5:00 pm.  Payment taken at pickup.​

​

Pricing & FAQ's

PRICING:

  • Payment taken at pickup using cash or cheque.

For Apples, Pears & Quince:

  • $7.50 per milk crate (MC)  of clean, pre-washed fruit ($15.00 minimum charge). 

  • Additional $1.00 fee per MC if you ask us to wash your fruit.

For Grapes:

  • $8.50 per MC to crush, de-stem and press ​in one visit (4 MC minimum order)

  • $6.00 per MC to crush and de-stem grapes into pulp

  • $6.00 per 5 imp. gallon pail (23 L) to press the pulp only (2 pails minimum order)

 

FAQs:​

  • Juice yield will vary based on ripeness, quality & type of fruit

  • 1 MC of apples = approx. 25-27 lbs = approx. 7.0 L of juice​

  • 1 MC of pears = approx. 37 lbs = approx. 7.0 L of juice

  • 1 MC of grapes = approx. 36 lbs = approx. 10-11 L pulp (wine grapes) or 7-10 L pulp (table grapes) 

  • 5 imp. gallons (23 L) grape pulp = approx. 14-15L juice

* Due to possible cross-contamination via our presses to other customers' juice, we must reserve the right to refuse bad quality rotting fruit (if in doubt bring us a sample in advance). We do a final pick-over when we wash but please note it is the customer's responsibility to bring sound cleaned fruit.
Contact

Fruit Press Hours of Operation

Early Season (2023):

  • Monday August 14

  • Monday August 21


Regular Season (2023):​​

  • August 28 -  October 29*

  • Open: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday

        

Late Season (2023):

  • Closed* 

 

*Normally we would open one day a week into November but it was an early (and wonderful) fruit year and there just isn't enough fruit left to be pressed!

​​

Business Hours:

  • We receive fruit between 7:30 - 9:00 am

  • Pick up your juice between 3:30 - 5:00 pm

bottom of page