There’s a great Apple and Cheese Festival in Strafford, VT at the Morrill Homestead in September, which I hope to go to in the future, but I think there should be one in Windsor too.
Where the Idea Came From
The idea started when I thought about going apple picking somewhere new. I wanted to explore orchards I’d never been to, but they had varieties of apples I’d never heard of. How would I know what to pick? I like how Poverty Lane had image and descriptions of the apples, which I found that a lot of local orchards did too, but nothing beats biting into the apple itself to find out if it’s a good fit for your taste buds. I certainly didn’t want to buy one of each apple to find out or go around eating one of each variety either, probably ending up with a stomach ache and a guilt trip for trying too many apples from the orchard. So I thought: there should be a time where people can sample different varieties of apples from local orchards and rate their favorites on a card and then buy some if they want. Then I thought: this would go good with cheese.
The Apple and Cheese Festival idea was born in my brain.
So here’s what I was thinking…
Possible Venue
I’m thinking the perfect spot is Artisan Park. You have all you could want for a great festival. They already have the October Festival there. If the businesses joined together to host it, visitors could try the maze at Great River Outfitters, the fabulous drinks at Silo Distillery and maybe some music?, the tasty preserves at Blake Hill and the great food and games at Harpoon and the Cheeseboard.
How it Would Work
People would rate the variety of apples 1-5 on their little survey cards from each vendor. I made a sample taste testing card from actual varieties of Poverty Lane apples. Visitors rate how they like it and then they can buy their favorites after, because if there are others like me: I’d forget which one I liked and which one wasn’t for me.
There can be different apple bins and people can pick and choose the varieties based on their survey card and buy by the bag. So it’d be like picking your own but you’ve tried them all beforehand, and it’s in a bin and not on a tree…
I think all the local orchards should come!
For the cheese I bet cheeseboards with samples and maybe some crackers would be great. Visitors could fill out the same type of form and buy the cheese in blocks like they normally would anywhere you buy cheese. Who doesn’t love to sample?
Activity Options
What else can we have? How about activities for adults and kids alike? Here are some activity ideas:
- Painting mugs with Tip Top Pottery
- Painting and sipping Harpoon with the Happy Paintbrush
- Bobbing for Apples
- Wagon rides
- Apples as stamps
- Coloring over leaves with wax paper
There are plenty more kids craft ideas here. I like the Ghost Mason jars and pine cone door hanger the best. I also found more ideas here. The pine cone owl, faux stain glass leaves, and leaf creatures are really cute.
Food Options
What foods go well with apples and cheese? How about caramel apples using Red Kite Caramel?, apple pies and muffins, apple sauce and butter? A caramel sample bar? Maybe these caramel vendors would come?
Be a tourist and buy a mug? Fill it with hot cocoa, apple cider, or butternut squash soup? Then enjoy a treat of pumpkin bread or caramel apple?
What do you think? Should we have a Apple and Cheese Festival in Windsor?
Loading ... Loading ...Spread the word and maybe it can be an event in the fall of 2017.
