About this time of the year, and earlier in some counties, you'll find plenty of windfall apples in all shapes and sizes. Whether it's crab apples in the hedgerow or Bramleys in the orchard, there are plenty to go round.

Start collecting and sorting into those which are good for storage, and those which are bruised, or starting to rot. Having stored the unblemished ones, here's what to do with the rest....

1. wash and remove stems, leaves, and really rotten brown bits
2. cut larger apples into quarters
3. put in bucket or old bath, get your wellies on, and start 'crushing' until fruit turns to pulp
4. put a small quantity of the pulp into a muslin bag and squeeze into a clean, dry container
5. repeat until all pulp is 'pressed'
6. discard remaining pulp (put on compost heap, feed to pigs etc)
7. pour juice into demijohns (one gallon glass jars) leaving small amount of air at the top
   
8. add one crushed Campden tablet (to prevent contamination by bacteria) to each demijohn
9. bung or cork the demijohn and leave in a warm cupboard for about 4 months
10. drink it!

Alternatively, you could buy a Cider Press and save yourself a lot of time and hassle.

Instructions courtesy of Tom Putt's Scrumpy User Guide.

Note:
If you don't have an apple or pear orchard, then ask those who do. They'll probably still be waiting for the main crop to ripen on the tree, so asking to collect the windfalls may well meet with a positive response. Go easy though... and no scrumping!