THE CIDER INDUSTRY IN OHIO 



The Proceedings of the 111th Annual Meeting of the Ohio State Horticultural 

 Society contained a summary of the present status of the Cider Industry in Ohio 

 reported by Dr. M. P. Baldauf of the Ohio Experiment Station, Wooster, Ohio. 

 In Ohio as in Massachusetts the cider mill operators are striving to produce a 

 better product. 



Dr. M. P. Baldauf reports that a survey of Ohio cider mills indicates that 

 there is a trend to custom presses operated full time during the season. On the 

 otherhand, the Ohio cider mill survey indicates a decrease in the so called 

 "Press-in-the-woods" type cider mill. He cites several reasons for this: 

 "(1) The consumer is more conscious of sanitation; (2) transportation of today 

 allows a custom presser to serve a rather large area; (3) the demand for home 

 made vinegar and fermented cider is not so large; and (4) the law enforcement 

 agencies concerned with cider mills are beginning to enforce the laws which 

 have not been strictly enforced in the past." 



Dr. M. P. Baldauf is of the opinion that although custom pressers are doing 

 a better job the individual pressers should not quit, because there are many 

 instances where a private press is a great asset. He cites the following 

 Justification for a private press: "(1) Greater control of sanitation; 



(2) creation of an atmosphere about a sales stand; (3) personal consumer faith 

 in an individual presser; (4) control of how and when the cider is made; and 

 (5) lack of a good custom press within a convenient distance." 



In the article, Dr. Baldauf lists a few of the undesirable practices 

 observed during visits to cider mills which are as follows: (1) the use of 

 badly bruised, decayed, or insect infested apples; (2) the use of dirty apples; 



(3) the use of wooden equipment or equipment made from corrosive materials; 



(4) the use of cloths that are not washed at least daily; (5) the use of contain- 

 ers without labels or with labels of other products; (6) Sale of fermented 

 cider containing a sweet cider label; (7) the use of used containers and caps; 

 and (8) containers of cider with settlings or floating material." 



The Ohio State fruit growers are interested in a certified cider mill 

 program similar to that which we have in Massachusetts. At the 111th Annual 

 Meeting of the Ohio State Horticultural Society held last year a certified 

 cider mill operator from Ifessachusetts was invited to describe the Massachusetts 

 Certified Cider Mill Program. 



Dr. Baldauf feels that a certified cider mill program would help to improve 

 the quality and methods of cider production in Ohio. He states, "Admittedly, 

 the cider industry as a whole is improving by producing a better quality cider 

 under more sanitary conditions and this will help a great deal, but it is 

 not enough. The ansv^er is a certified cider program," 



William J. Lord 



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