Seasonal & Holidays
Barnes Nature Center Is Inviting Community For Apple Cider This Weekend
Community demonstration to also show how apple cider is made with a mobile cider press.
By Brian M. Johnson, The Bristol Press
October 22, 2021
The Barnes Nature Center is inviting the community to join them for apple cider this Saturday and Sunday, and plans to bring live turkeys by for a visit later this year.
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Those who visit the Barnes Nature Center, located at 175 Shrub Road, will be able to watch a demonstration of how apple cider is made with a mobile cider press. They will then be able to enjoy fresh cider samples. The activity will be held this Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 3 p.m. as well as Sunday from 12:30 to 3 p.m. Participation is free for Environmental Learning Centers of Connecticut (ELCCT) members and included with admission for non-members.
Apple cider donuts and pumpkins will also be available for sale, with proceeds supporting ELCCT, which includes the Barnes Nature Center and Indian Rock Nature Preserve.
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Kirsten Tomlinson, director of education at ELCCT, said that the apple cider program has been a popular fall tradition in past years. People, she said, have been eager to see the activity return after it was canceled last year when the Barnes Nature Center was closed due to the pandemic.
“We had a lot of interest last weekend during our Fall Festival,” she said.
The Barnes Nature Center is also bringing back another popular fall tradition this year – “Turkey Time.” Live turkeys will be brought over from Indian Rock Nature Preserve to the Barnes Nature Center on Nov. 20 from 12:30 to 3 p.m. to visit with children as they learn facts about the birds – like that their necks turn red when they become anxious and blush-purple when they are relaxed.
In past years, children had an opportunity to feed the turkeys as well. In 2018, a staff member blew into a whistle to mimic the sound of a hen’s coo, which made a male turkey puff up and fan out his feathers, much to children’s delight.
“The kids love seeing the turkeys,” said Tomlinson. “They always put on a good show.”
For more information on The Barnes Nature Center, visit elcct.org or call 860-583-1234.
Brian M. Johnson can be reached at 860-973-1806 or bjohnson@bristolpress.com.
