the apple wagon

at the end of summer, the time of windfalls is upon us. after seeing little piles of green apples lying around the neighborhood i got motivated to make some windfall cider because as they say, you need as many varieties as you can get, and i reckon with apples, tart is probably best for this sort of beverage.
and who can really afford to buy apples just to make cider with? anything decent's liable to be $1.29 lb or more and that gets expensive fast. and the second philosophical inquiry is why buy what lays about free for the taking.

now i'll admit i'm a shady character, and can be seen lurking about on my bike in some back alley. if your fruit tree looks like it's going to waste, i'm liable to help myself. if anything, i consider it my duty to the creator to partake in the wanton blessings of nature...especially if they appear to be going unappreciated. property lines be damned...

but at this time of year, such blatant disregard for property rights is not required. windfall apples (and pears, we are lucky enough to have those around here too) can be found up to a block away from the trees in question. me and my trusty basket went on a forage that netted apples from about a half-dozen trees within a mile of home. although the objective was apples, thanks to a directional mishap combined with a sharp eye, i found a pear tree with a friendly owner.

i hauled home enough fruit to make at least 5 gallons of cider, so fall oughta be a merry time indeed.