What to Write When

you spent the day making applesauce

I started today early. In the back of my brain was the usual starting production for the year hum. What equipment wouldn’t want to start? What do I need to do today besides make applesauce? Why did I do that stupid thing back in 2nd grade? Was it appropriate for my 5th-grade teacher to put me behind the stack of barrels during class? You know - the usual.

Several hours later, when it was actually time to run, it went pretty well. Only the pump on the bottom of the pulper/finisher had an electrical problem. No big deal, fixed it with a pipe wrench. It pays to be versed in a little plumbing to go with a minor in electrical. In the end, we made three batches of the applesauce. On target, and we will finish this run tomorrow.

A trick of canneries is that it seems like you can do just about anything with them. Want to can fruit, not a problem. Freeze-dry the leftovers from last night, check. Produce a chocolate cherry jam; the cannery can do it. Learn how to tig weld, how to run a lathe, and how about overhauling a modern diesel engine? A cannery has you covered in all of these areas.

Then, one morning, you are lying in bed, contemplating your sins, when you remember what makes your cannery special. It’s the last of its kind, started just after WWII to can fruit that is actually ripe. To a lover of ripe pears, it is a dream; you can open a can and eat pears that were picked at the peak of ripeness - whenever you want!