This is my niece Saoirse, a lovely half Basque half Irish girl. It happens that my sister’s husband is from County Armagh, the apple orchard of Ireland. She is at Sagardoetxea picking apples with the traditional tool called kizki.
Just a stick with a nail that allowed, and still allows, to pick apples up more easily in mountainous terrains like those in the Basque Country. Simple and functional.
It’s one of the main atractions when families visit the museum. During the Apple Harvest Festival in Astigarraga, various groups of dozens of kids collaborate to pick-up, crush, press, and taste the first juice of the season.
Somebody may think that it could become dangerous with such a tool, but the truth is that I’ve never heard about any incident. It seems to me a nice metaphor of the importance of the education. Isn’t it?
Children must know that cider is more than a drink, and young people needs to be educated on cider culture and responsible consumption. This way they may be ready when they’ll go to a cider house for first time, something that usually happens as soon as they turn 18.
