Cider Press 2016

It is becoming tradition at CCS, three years running now, to do a cider pressing at the beginning of the school year. Alums, student, and staff gather together to crush a bunch of apples. We crush the life out of the apples to steal the nourishing nectar that will give us the power of a thousand apple cartoonists.

Apples are crushed to smitherenes.

To strengthen our resolve, we are provided with plenty of pizza from a nearby restaurant where hundreds of cartoonists have gorged to their cheezy delight.

Luke Howard and Dave Lloyd bring the traditional pizza boxes in the glowing evening sun.

And finally.

It is time.

Someone tosses in apples for Trevor Richardson (’18) to crush in the cider press.

Rachel Ford (’18) poking apple smush back in for Hillary Mullins (’18) to finish pressing.

The juice is gather and poured into a tapped bucket. The most noble bucket. From this bucket, each alum, student, and staff can drink their fill of cider until bursting, and then fill more bottles to bring home.

Catherine Garberino (’17) pouring some fresh apple cider into the jug.

When the cider gets too heady, some of the staff burst out in feats of strength and cunning. Students are awed. Alums are reminded of their own time being awed by the towering pillars that run our little community.

Luke Howard, master of all trades, juggling his way into the apples’ hearts before tossing them to their doom. Catherine Garberino ducks in fear of an angry, rogue apple.

And then the evening begins to draw to a close. Jugs are capped. Cups are licked. Battles are fought and won for unclaimed bottles through the time-honored tradition of arm wrestling.

Whitely Foster (’18) is very happy with her cider. Laura Martin (’17) looks on in jealousy.

Towards the end of the evening when the pizza has cooled and the ground glistens in drips and rivers of apple cider, Bagel the daschund/chihuahua nearly steals the show that rightfully belonged to the apples. Fortunately, the reining apples had juice and pulp strewn about to tempt Bagel away from her adoring fans.

Whitely Foster (’18) holds Bagel, an unofficial mascot of CCS and part of the glorious Howard household.

Photos courtesy Abe Olson.