This picture taken around 1930 shows the old cider mill that once stood on the Wagg Homestead here in Bowdoin, Maine.
The old Wagg Homestead, as we call it, was originally built by the Grover family, probably around the 1770's or 1780's. My grandmother grew up here, during the 1920's and 30's. By this time the farm and its buildings were in decline, like so much of rural Maine during this period. Bowdoin's population had peaked near 1600 in the 1860's, but by the 1930's was less than 500. The few families that stayed on the old homesteads were of the sturdiest New England stock. I am proud to say that I come from combination of several such families.
The cider mill shown here sat just south of the old stagecoach road that ran through the farm. Never much more than a pair of wheel ruts, the road was the lifeline that brought visitors and business to the farm and lead to the markets in Lisbon Falls or Litchfield and beyond. I have imagined a cool morning in early October when a heavy laden wagon, hauled by a pair of Durham oxen, would make its way across the gristmill stream bridge and grind its way to a stop in front of the cider mill. Mr. Grover had been in the mill for more than an hour preparing the mill for the days work. The mill's blades must be carefully honed, to assure a fine chop of the apples. The belts must be checked and tightened if the need be. The press blankets and forms must be readied for service.
After a hearty handshake and greeting, the men would unload the baskets of apples into the end of the cider mill. Care had been taken to keep the apples clean and free of debris that would taint the precious cider. Apples that were rotted would be kept and cooked for the hogs. I have speculated that this cider mill was run by a horse walking on a treadmill. Later versions would use steam power to run the mill, but that seems unlikely here.
Bushel by bushel the apples would be run through the chopper, and were reduced to a finely ground "pummy". Cider would begin to run almost immediately, and it was all caught and sent down the sluice into the waiting barrel. After the grinding was complete, the pummy would be pressed under extreme pressure, forcing the juice out, leaving a dry tasteless pulp. This old pummy would be cooked and fed to the livestock, nothing was wasted.
The golden cider poured out of the pummy and into the wooden barrel. When the pressing was over a wooden bung was pounded into the barrel and it was loaded onto the wagon for the trip home. Some of the cider would be enjoyed fresh, some made to vinegar. Most farmhouses also kept a small barrel hidden under the cellar steps. This barrel was cared for by the man of the house and samples were offered to special visitors. Many local folks, including my family were known to possess some "hard cider" from time to time. Just another way to provide for their own needs. On this day, the business was completed by bartering. The Grover's would keep a portion of the cider as payment for their labors.
This farm, like the few that remained in Bowdoin in this time, was a subsistence farm where subsistence was not guaranteed. A late frost or wet season meant near disaster for these back country families. When I write about "providing for ourselves" I am almost ashamed that we are so DEPENDENT when my forefathers were so INDEPENDENT.
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