Shortwood Farm Cider, Herefordshire, United Kingdom

I'd been in Britain looking for any cider maker using proper hairs (horse hair) for about 6 weeks, when JP James referred me to the Legge family at Shortwood Farm. I called immediately over to the farm and spoke with the daughter who sadly told me that they stopped using horse hair, but might have one in the barn. However, she was kind enough to invite me over to watch her and her mom crush pears with their old stone cider mill. I was there bright and early the next morning!

Wow, watching fruit be crushed by such heavy stone is really a treat. I was told there was not enough fruit to do to make it worth while to get out a horse and tether it up, so the two ladies turned it by hand. I felt bad each go round, as I just stood idly by taking photos, while these two got a real workout. I feel even worse that the pictures didn't turn out any better than they did.

After pressing was finished, they invited me in for tea and a lovely chat. They had lots of pictures of the old horse hair hairs, and could describe them to me better than anyone else had, so I truly had a sense of accomplishment by the time I left there.

The farm has been in the Legge family for 5 generations. They operate as an organic farm, with tourist activities. Very warm and inviting people!

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