Apple Fest

30 years ago this October, Apple Fest began. In the early years it was an opportunity for the Outdoorsmen Club to produce apple butter and sell it at Sesser's Octoberfest.

Apple Fest as now evolved into an event as much for the S-V elementary students as for the sophomore Outdoorsmen Club members. Sophomore members receive 1/2 bushel of apples approximately one week before the big day. Each member is given instructions how to turn their apples into apple sauce. Once made, members freeze the apple sauce.Their sauce is then brought to school the day before Apple Fest. 3:30 the next morning, members arrive at the school, load our copper kettles ...

(2009 was once again a rainy day, so Applebutter Day was once again held under the shelter!)

... and begin "cooking" the apple butter. Each member is assigned a rotation spot in the stirring schedule. Constant stirring is required for our apple butter and members take great pride in not burning their batch.

(As you can see, we stir and stir and stir...)

The S-V Apple Butter Recipe is a closely guarded secret with Mr. Sample and Mr. Dilliner each knowing only a portion of the whole.

Shortly after sunrise, members begin squeezing apples in our cider press to give to our kindergartner friends for their own little taste of "sunshine".

 When the apple butter is deemed finished (passing the "Klump Test") members prepare for the real task... feeding all 400 plus K-6 elementary students of S-V. High praise comes from each class as they get their "taste". Also, members load "take-home" containers from our faculty, staff and other Outdoorsmen friends.

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