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DECEMBER 2022 | JANUARY 2023 • IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT ALL ABOUT IDAHO 7

Stocking Up On Gold:

A Pressing Tradition

BY DIANNA TROYER

Cleve Smith stores a unique type of gold
in glass jars and plastic bottles in his freezer
for winter.
“To me and my wife, Karol, pressing
and bottling apple juice with our friends
and family is as good as gold because we’re
making priceless memories when we do it
together,” said Smith, 82, who farms in
Sublett in southeastern Idaho. “For a few
days, we have quite an assembly line going
in my shop.”
When snowdrifts pile up at his farm,
Smith opens the upright freezer he bought
just to store the juice—a natural rich
source of vitamin C—and selects a jug
from more than 130 lined tightly beside
each other on shelves.
“I try to use similar-shaped containers,
so they stack easier, and I can fit more in
my freezer,” he said of the unpasteurized
juice, which must be frozen to remain fresh.
“Once you taste juice from Fuji apples,
you won’t want juice from any other kind. I
guess I’m old-fashioned, wanting to make
our own juice, so we know it’s fresh,” said
Smith, who also puts the squeeze on carrots
and grapes, so he has juices fortified with
vitamins and minerals throughout winter. Cleve Smith calls his
As he sips his juice during frigid handcrafted, unpas-
weather, warm memories of autumn sur- teurized apple juice
face, reminding him of his family’s fall his “gold” and stores it Moving Soon?
apple-pressing ritual. in a freezer to keep it
fresh. Photo courtesy of
Their daughter, Jill Hardy, said many Jill Hardy. We’re your full-service moving
hands make light work. specialist. From selling your home
“We’re all laughing and telling stories and catching up on our
lives as we work,” Hardy said. “The time flies. We don’t even mind to personal property.
our sticky fingers. It’s become a fantastic tradition for our family
and friends.” Maximize
The Smith family tradition started in 2015 when Smith’s son,
Wade, suggested his dad buy Fuji apples. your return
“My brother-in-law owned an orchard in Washington, so I knew • Licensed Real
how delicious that variety is,” said Wade, who owned an adjacent Estate Agent
orchard. He noted that Fuji apples are known for their sweet flavor, • Estate Specialists
being easy to squeeze, and yielding a lot of juice. The apples mature
late in the season and store well. “Dad liked the flavor and found • Auctions - Live & Internet
an orchard in Idaho to buy from.” • Certified Personal
Smith said the flavor makes the Fuji variety “the epitome of Property Appraisals
apples for juicing.” • Bonded & Insured
Sharing his penchant for Fuji, Smith began inviting neighbors and
other families to his shop, so they could make some for themselves. • Licensed Gun Dealer
“Along with our kids, we usually have four to six other families • Business & Equipment
who come,” Smith said. • Free Consultation
Someone in the group volunteers to drive to a Fuji orchard in
Fruitland, Idaho, and brings back several bins of apples. A 4-foot-
cubed bin has 24 boxes of apples and weighs about 800 pounds. Over
Each bin yields about 45 to 50 gallons of juice. 30 Years
“Depending on how many families participate, we buy two to Since 1991 Experience!
six bins,” Smith said.
Wade said the task of making apple juice, although time-con-
suming, is rewarding.
“When you taste the fruit of your labor, it makes all the hours
of work worthwhile,” Wade said. “It’s more delicious than what Call today for a free consultation
you’d buy in a store.” ISI 888-442-4333 or 208-888-9563
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