Every year, we look forward to the weekend when local orchards, restaurants and farms unite to celebrate that staple of the New England table — the humble yet tasty apple. The event, known as CiderDay, will be held this year on November 2nd and 3rd and will feature cider and cheese tastings; talks and demonstrations about cider, apples, and trees; orchard tours; plus the opportunity to meet and purchase products made by local producers at the Meeting House Market Place.

This was a hard year for Franklin County's apple farmers. This years' harvest (the last of the agricultural year) came after a hard spring. Ninety degree days in April didn't help, then May followed with almost 2 weeks of damaging cold. But the crop came through and has now been fully harvested. The 8th annual CiderDay celebrates the harvest, and especially the magic that happens when these globes of goodness are pressed into cider.

During CiderDay activities, you'll have the opportunity to taste it all, from sweet cider and apple butter to regional specialties made from apples and cider. There'll also be apple pies, farmstead cheese from local dairies like Chase Hill Farm and emu meat from Gill's Songline Bird Farm (it's really tasty — try it!).

Franklin County is lucky to have beautiful, productive orchards. And its people have a tradition of making the best of what they grow. Cidermakers create their own bottled pleasure, bakers bake and families and restaurants look to nearby orchards for sustenance and inspiration.

Presenters during the weekend will include:

— Bob Barclay, Home Cidermaker and Orchardist, Heath, MA
— Lou Chadwick, Orchardist, Hillside Farm, Buckland, MA
— Tom Clark, Orchardist, Clarkdale Fruit Farms, Deerfield, MA
— Jon Clements, Extension Fruit Specialist, Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
— Robert Colnes, Orchardist, New Salem Orchards, New Salem, MA
— Michael Collins, Chef and Owner of the Green Emporium Restaurant, Colrain, MA
— Paul Correnty, Author of "The Art of Cider Making" and cidermaker
— Jeannette Fellows, Cheesemaker, Chase Hill Farm, Warwick
— Carol Hillman, Orchardist, New Salem Orchards, New Salem, MA;
— Carolyn Hillman, Cheesemaker, Hillman Farm, Colrain, MA
— Greg Kushmerek , BJCP judge for ciders and meads in the National Competitions
— Judith Maloney, Owner, West County Cider
— Charlie Olchowski, Cidermaker, AHA National Judge and owner of the Frozen Wort, Greenfield, MA.
— David Shearer, Orchardist, Pine Hill Orchards, Colrain, MA
— Ben Watson, Writer and book editor whose own works include Cider, Hard and Sweet (Countryman Press, 1999). He is also a member of Slow Food, the international movement committed to food biodiversity and the defense of taste.

Though there is no charge for the discussions, tastings, demonstrations, orchards or displays at the Meeting House Market Place, the organizers of CiderDay ask for a one-time $5.00 donation for a CiderDay button to offset costs. Programs, maps and information will be available at The Visitor's Center, exit 26, Rt. 91; at the Meeting House Market Place in Colrain; and at the West County Winery in Colrain.

Cider Day is sponsored by West County Winery, Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA). You can find a complete schedule of the weekend's activities at www.ciderday.com. The Valley Viewpoint staff will be there. Hope to see you there, too!

Other CiderDay-Related Events:

Apple Festival at the Deerfield Inn - Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) and the Deerfield Inn present the Apple Festival on Sunday, November 3, noon - 4. There will be chef and farmer demos, a tasting menu, family fun and games and a celebration of the accomplishments of Massachusetts’ ground breaking Agricultural Preservation Restriction program, now in its 25th year. Historic Deerfield and the Franklin Land Trust will host a celebration honoring the creators of the program and the farmers that have participated by protecting thousands of acres from development. Taste of Deerfield Inn creations can be purchased for only $1 - $5. Children’s activities, raffles and more. Admission isfree. Visit www.buylocalfood.com and click on the events link to learn more.

The Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum will be open from 11:00 - 5:00 PM on Saturday & Sunday November 2&3 as part of the CiderDay activities. The museum features rides on restored trolley car No. 10, the same car that carried cider, apples and vinegar across the Bridge of Flowers, connecting Colrain and Shelburne Falls. Tickets are $2, children five and under are free. The museum also contains a collection of photographs of the early days of trolleys and railroads in West County, as well as a caboose and a children's area. Call 413-625-9443 or email trolley@sftm.org. For more information visit their web site at www.sftm.org

New Salem Apple Festival at New Salem Orchards, New Salem, Saturday/Sunday, 12 to 2. Families and their children are invited to participate in the cider making process at the Cider Mill. Also available for sale will be Sun-cooked Strawberry and Raspberry Preserves which are made by New Salem Preserves, and of course fresh cider. Ria Windcaller will do a presentation and tasting on how to make Hard Cider. Dale Averill will have five varieties of homemade pies for sale. Rowen White and Gordon Heleger will make and sell squash-cider soup, and also sell whole grain bread from the Village Coop. And finally, on Sunday, Deb Habib of Seeds of Solidarity Farm will present a mini-workshop on Fall Planting.

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