Press Your Own Cider in a 100-Year-Old Catskills Orchard

Harvest apples, crank an old-fashioned cider press, start your own apple cider vinegar, and discover the hidden fungi that connect the trees and ferment your ciders.

This fall, step into a century-old orchard on fifth-generation family land in Big Indian and spend a morning doing what people here have done for generations: picking, pressing, tasting, and preserving the harvest together.

You'll be guided by the Michelotti family: John Michelotti, founder of Catskill Fungi and a Certified Mushroom Forager; his sister Kate Michelotti, a homeschool educator who makes learning hands-on for all ages; and "Pop" Michelotti, a homesteader full of stories about this land.

Four experiences in one fall morning

1. The secret life of an orchard. Walk beneath 100-year-old apple trees and learn about the underground partnership between trees and mycorrhizal fungi that keeps them healthy for a century. Spot the fungi that decompose, recycle, and even parasitize the orchard, and hear how we've successfully grown morels right here.

2. Old-fashioned apple harvest. Grab a picking pole and a basket and gather apples straight from the trees with the group. Kids love this part.

3. Cider pressing. Take your turn on the cider press, watch whole apples become fresh juice, and drink it straight from the press.

4. Apple cider vinegar workshop. Turn fresh mash into a living ferment, learn how fungi and bacteria have preserved human food for thousands of years, and go home ready to keep it going.

You'll take home:

• 1 quart of fresh-pressed cider
• 1 quart of apple cider vinegar starter
• The know-how to make vinegar at home for years to come
• A whole new way of seeing every apple tree you pass

Perfect for families, foodies, gardeners, homesteaders, fermenters, foragers, and anyone who wants a real taste of fall in the Catskills. No experience needed.

Spots are limited.

Details

Price: Adults $65 · Kids 4–12 $25 · Ages 3 and under free
Extra cider: Additional quart jars $5 each, or bring your own jars
When: 10:00am 
Where: The Manor House - Park across the street at 1 Hatchery Hollow Road, Big Indian, NY 12410
What to wear: Dress for the weather
Bathrooms: On-site
Kids: Up to 2 children per adult. Parents are responsible for their children at all times.
Pets: Please leave them at home.
Cancellations: Full refund if you email us at least 72 hours before the workshop.

See you in the orchard!