Before you can book or volunteer at the Sebastopol Community Apple Press, you’ll need to provide some information and agree to the terms of use, including the claim waiver and the publicity release below.
Releasees means Slow Food USA, Slow Food Russian River, the Western Sonoma County Historical Society, the County of Sonoma, and the City of Sebastopol, and their respective officers, directors, members, employees, volunteers, contractors, agents, and any other persons acting on their behalf. By using, or volunteering at, the Sebastopol Community Apple Press (the “Press”), whether at the Luther Burbank Experiment Farm, Ragle Ranch Park or any other location, I agree for myself, for (A) all persons who accompany me at the Press or drink my juice; for (B) any organization, including any school, for whom I act as a representative; and (C) for my heirs and assignees (“Releasors”), to discharge and release Releasees from all claims for any personal injury, sickness, death, property damage or loss sustained by me or any other Releasor as a result of use of the Press and related equipment, specifically including cutting knives, due to any cause whatsoever, including, without limitation, negligence on the part of Releasees. If I am acting on behalf of a school or other organization, “Releasors” includes all students, parents or other relatives of students, officers, directors, members, employees, volunteers, contractors, agents, and any other persons acting on behalf of such school or organization.
Releasors are aware that certain dangers and risks are possible from use of the Press, some of which include:
• Equipment use – The fruit pressing and grinding equipment have moving parts that can cause injury. Knives used to cut apples can also cause injury. • Exposure to viruses and diseases – There is the risk of exposure to COVID and other diseases in any place where people gather. COVID is a contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death. • Food safety – Dirty or contaminated fruit could cause illness. Unpasteurized juice can harbor bacteria (e.g., E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella, Cryptosporidium), even if the apples used to make it never fell on the ground. Some people recommend pasteurizing (i.e., boiling for 30 seconds) or fermenting “raw” apple juice in order to reduce the pathogen load to a safe level. Another FDA-approved method for safeguarding “raw” apple juice is UV treatment, but that is a viable option only for larger-scale commercial producers. We will provide facilities where you can rinse your apples, but the apples you bring should be intact with no breaks in the skin or rot. The containers in which you collect your juice should be clean. The juice you make will not be pasteurized, so it will have a limited shelf life. We recommend you use plastic containers so you can freeze some of your juice and thaw and enjoy it at a later date. Both conventional and organic apples may be processed in the same press. Conventional apples may have pesticide residues. • Insect Bites – Apple pressing can draw bees, yellow jackets and wasps, which can result in bites or stings.
Releasors accept all the dangers and risks and the possibility of injury, sickness (including Covid), death, property damage or any other loss resulting from using the Press and consuming the pressed juice. Releasors agree not to sue Releasees on account of any circumstance arising from such use or consumption.
Releasors acknowledge that Releasees use images of users of the Sebastopol Community Apple Press to support the activities of Releasees. Accordingly, Releasors hereby grant the perpetual right to capture, on any form of media now known or hereafter developed, the name, image and likeness of Releasors and reproduce and use the same to publicize and promote the Sebastopol Community Apple Press and the activities of Releasees related thereto.
