Donate
Login

The Drover’s Daughter: Kate Scott’s Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe

By Kate Scott – Medical Herbalist & Pasture Consultant

Looking for a simple, time-tested addition to your natural farmacy? Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is a versatile, probiotic-rich remedy with a long history of use for both livestock and people.

As a herbalist and pasture consultant, I use ACV regularly – it’s easy to make, cost-effective, and a brilliant base for herbal medicine. Below, I share my tried-and-tested recipe and some of its key health benefits.

Why Use Apple Cider Vinegar on the Farm?

ACV supports health in multiple ways:

  • Alters gut pH – making the digestive tract more alkaline, discouraging harmful bacteria and parasites.
  • Proven parasite action – research shows it reduces coccidial infections in hens and has a giardia-cidal effect.
  • Natural worm burden reducer – helps reduce fly attraction by altering the pH of dung.
  • Topical uses – makes a great base for fly repellents.
  • Rich in minerals – including potassium, which supports udder health and helps prevent mastitis.
  • Improves digestion – boosts uptake of nutrients like calcium and phosphorus and promotes cudding in ruminants.
  • Supports liver function – thanks to malic acid.
  • Great for herbal extraction – herbalists often use ACV to draw out beneficial phytochemicals from plants.

Recipe: How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar

Ingredients

  • Apples (any variety, including crab apples), roughly chopped – peel and core included
  • Water – enough to fully submerge the apples
  • Sugar – 2 tablespoons per pint of water

Instructions

  1. Chop the apples and place them in a non-metal, non-plastic container.
  2. Warm the water, dissolve the sugar, then allow it to cool.
  3. Pour the cooled sugar water over the apples, ensuring they are completely submerged. Use a clean weight to keep them down.
    Optional: add a little of the ‘mother’ from a previous batch or shop-bought ACV to kickstart fermentation.
  4. Cover the container with a breathable cloth and secure it with an elastic band or string. This lets it breathe while keeping flies out.
  5. Check daily to ensure the apples stay submerged (this helps prevent mould). Leave to ferment for around six weeks.
  6. Taste test – when the vinegar is sharp enough for your liking, strain off the apples and compost them. Pour the liquid into bottles, leaving the lids slightly loose.
  7. Store in a cool, dark place for 3–4 more weeks, giving the bottles a gentle wobble every few days.
  8. You should see the ‘mother’ forming – a cloudy, jelly-like layer on top. Save some of this for your next batch.

Final Tip

Don’t worry if it takes a few attempts to get the flavour or process just right. The beauty of homemade ACV is its flexibility – and the satisfaction of creating a powerful natural remedy from simple ingredients.