It’s officially been fall on the calendar for a few days now, but we mark the change in season when there’s apple cider to be had at the local farms. Each year we get a gallon or two and savor that moment when we take the first sip. It’s magic. This year we got our cider at Osborne’s Agway in Concord; we go there because they have nice plants, lots of garden supplies and a good fall farmstand, but we mostly go because they have Dennis the Agway Cat.
Dennis is a hard working cat, as you can see. He inspects a lot of the goods himself and roams the store and grounds to make sure everything is running smoothly. Sometimes he sits underneath the trees out front to see if they’re good for shade or not. He also loves to get pets, when he’s not too busy working.
The other big fall milestone is the return of apple cider donuts at Meadow Ledge Farm in Loudon. These donuts are only made on the weekends, and they’re legendary in our neck of the woods. We got there about a half hour after the farm opened and there was already a line out the door and a guy directing cars in the parking area. People are cheerful, almost gleeful; they chat and laugh in line together, making new friends through love of fine donuts.
Cats, and cider, and donuts. Fall sure knows how to make an entrance.
