A local cidery is again encouraging Calgarians to donate fruit from their yards this fall instead of letting it fall to the ground. SunnyCider’s fruit donor program launches on Tuesday – taking unwanted apples, crab apples, pears, cherries and berries. Last year, the program turned approximately 16,000 kilograms of fruit into 10,000 litres of cider. The company doesn’t just use the donations to make beverages; after the fruit is pressed, the remaining pulp is diverted to urban farms where it is composted and transformed into nutrient-rich soil. “The fruit becomes cider, and what’s left over goes back into the soil,” said Dennis Scanland, SunnyCider founder. “It’s a pretty great little Calgary loop.” Fruit is accepted Tuesday through Saturday until Oct. 3 and can be dropped off at the back doors of the cider house. “Every year, people show up with cars, trucks and trailers full of fruit,” Scanland said. “It’s pretty incredible.” Fruit donors receive get 20 per cent off retail cider purchases as a thank-you.
