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Fall is in the air. Don't be alarmed! Celebrate the season at the annual Fall Festival.
The Fall Festival is the BCC's September social. Making old traditions new again, valley residents meet to mingle and cook up homemade apple butter. Such a treat!
Bondo Butter is sold in pints and half-pints. Sales of Bondo Butter benefit the Library Restoration project.
Click here to download 2010's Fall Festival poster (pdf 1,256KB).
Saturday, September 18, 2010, dawned chilly and crystal clear. Cindy arrived at the park at 6:30 a.m. to get the fire going and get the apple butter ready to go!
The previous day, volunteers had washed, cored, sliced, simmered and milled 12 bushels of ripe sweet apples - which was a lot more fun than it sounds. Those same volunteers, along with a dozen other hardy souls, took turns near the fire on Saturday to stir the pot.
It was important to keep stirring. Cindy explained that the mash has to be kept moving constantly so it doesn't burn. She provided her family's traditional copper pot and wooden paddle for the job (right).
Folks stirred so diligently they stirred the paddle right off its handle. Twice! Richard made the necessary repairs and the work continued without interruption.
Throughout the day the kettle steamed. A fragrant mist wafted off the pot, blending with the scent of the campfire and the voices of neighbors laughing and visiting. At about 5:00 Cindy deemed the time was ripe and the concentrated apple mash was sweetened and spiced to perfection.
Another troop of volunteers - including two unsuspecting women from Pinedale who intended to just pass on through - stepped forward to sterilize and fill the jars (left).
The capped jars were then carried into both the Fire Hall and Church kitchens to be sealed in their boiling hot bath. The finished jars, decorated with a festive printed label, were purchased and taken away as quickly as they came out of the kitchen. Eager shoppers didn't mind their scalded fingertips, as long as their Bondo Butter was safely stowed in the car.
Throughout the long day Cindy skillfully managed the entire operation. And thanks to the good efforts of Cindy and Gloria and all the other volunteers, the BCC collected over $1,600 (before expenses) to benefit the Library Restoration project. And the 2010 vintage Bondo Butter is sold out.
Finally, everyone enjoyed a pot luck dinner (right). The highlight was delicious fried chicken cooked by Gloria. Many stayed up late to watch a moonlight showing of the movie UP, courtesy of Michael.
A good time was had by all. Thanks, volunteers and attendees!
The first "Apple Butter Festival" in September 2009 (photo below) was a BIG success and was attended by over 60 people eating fried chicken and all the yummy side dishes brought by friends and neighbors.
Thanks to Cindy and Michael Peters for hosting the event and for bringing that fantastic big slide from the Pinedale Aquatic Center for the kids to play on for hours. Horseshoes and volleyball games kept lots of folks busy thru the afternoon. The band "Legends" played for hours -and donated their fee to the cause!!
The event was held in lieu of the annual "Dinner Out" held in the recent years. The Library restoration project fundraiser - cooking the apple butter all day and canning for folks to take home - was the highlight of the day and thanks to all who came to take their turn stirring. The apple butter was wonderful and all took home at least one jar for the hard work!!
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Updated September 24, 2010