Progress On The Cider Mill at Willowbrook and our ASH SUNDAY event, September 27, 2015

In recent weeks the cider mill has taken on some new developments. Ashley Gerry has resumed work on the platform that holds the restored apple grinder. The pan is to construct more heavy duty sawhorses to rest the grinder on. This will keep the grinder level with the pomace basket. A removable sluice way will link the grinder and basket. We have always talked about powered the grinder with a horse treadmill that is situated next to this equipment. We may choose an early gas engine. A 5HP Nelson Brothers engine will be hooked up to the rig; we will see how effective that is in turning the crushing drum with a full load of apples.

We hope to have this functioning in time for our September 27 event ASH SUNDAY, in partnership with the Francis Small Heritage Trust and Forest Works. The Nelson Brothers engine, which will be delivered next week, after I work on a set of oak skids for it today. this may be used to also power a wonderful late 19th century wood splitter in the museum's collection. The ASH SUNDAY event will focus on the many uses of ash; this is a proactive presentation given the damage that the ash borer has inflicted on trees as close as the State of New Hampshire. The day will include a presentation from the State entomologist and District forester as well as area crafts people who utilize this wood for their work: a bow maker, pack basket maker, Native American artist/sculptor and more. Several ash trees will be felled on the museum property and twitched out of the woods by a team of oxen owned by Adrian Knox of Shapleigh, ME.

Adrian Knox of Shapleigh with his team of oxen that will be used to twitch some logs out of the woods at Willowbrook for our September 27 even ASH SUNDAY event in partnership with the Francis Small Heritage Trust and the nonprofit Forest Works.