Annual apple festival raises funds for New Harmony fire department
Briar Adams
Woerner Orchards’ Kim Ardeeser donates unsold apples to D.C. Central Kitchens at the close of the USDA Farmers Market, which celebrates the close of its 22nd season on Oct 27, 2017, in Washington, DC. The last market day featured live music from the U.S. Army Band, farm animal exhibits. Visitors were able to bowl with squash, help harvest and learn about sweet potatoes for DC Central Kitchen, pick and paint pumpkins, meet farm animals, shop for fresh picked local produce from the Chesapeake Bay Region, enjoy prepared foods, see live turkeys from Tall Cotton Farm, get a farm animal and veggie-themed temporary tattoo to wear, and shop for food inspired art work.
“VegU” Program Coordinators prepared and talk about a pumpkin curry soup recipe during free 10-minute fruit and vegetable classes at the “VegU(cation)” tent where people learned how to how to pick, store, and prepare pumpkin curry soup. Fruits and vegetables are featured during their peak harvest time.
The USDA farmers market is located on the corner of 12th Street and Independence Ave, SW; features live music, 30+ farmers, ranchers, and small business owners in the Chesapeake Bay Region.
The festival played host to thousands of visitors from around America and looks to open May 4, 2018. For more information visit usda.gov/farmersmarket or follow @USDA_AMS on Twitter and Instagram using hashtag #USDAFarmersMkt. View photos of the market on Flickr. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.
PUMPKIN CURRY SOUP
Yields 8 cups
Prep Time: 1 hour | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 lb. fresh sugar pumpkin
3 cups vegetable stock
1 tbsp. curry powder
1 tsp. chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Remove pumpkin stem and slice pumpkin in half using a sharp knife. Remove pumpkin seeds and stringy innards with a spoon. Discard or save seeds to roast later on.
3. Brush pumpkin halves with oil an
New Harmony’s annual Apple Festival was held on Saturday, October 12. This year’s festival was bigger than ever, featuring numerous vendors and activities. Less than thirty minutes from Cedar City, the event provided fall fun to many local families.
The Apple Festival is hosted yearly in support of the Harmony Valley Fire Station. Because the fire department is a volunteer organization, all of the festival proceeds will go towards safety equipment and supplies.
The festival offers free parking and entry, but the record-breaking 80+ vendors gave attendees plenty of items to browse and purchase. Vendors showcased homemade baked goods, jewelry, home decor, and of course, a variety of locally-grown apples and apple products.
In addition to the vendors, bounce houses and mechanical bull-riding were available in the town park. Live music and affordable lunches were provided throughout the day as well. On their way out, attendees could stop by and enter a raffle and multiple silent auctions.
Over the years, the Apple Festival has gained increased attention and popularity from the local community. This has been a major source of support for the fire department as well as New Harmony’s local apple orchards and vendors.
The New Harmony Fire Association expressed their appreciation for the event. “This will be our 26th year, and over the past years the Apple Festival has been able to raise over $50,000 for the New Harmony Fire Department.”
With the festival being right around Southern Utah University’s fall break, it was a great way for students to get out of town and enjoy the fall weather. Exact dates have not been released, but students and locals can start looking forward to next year’s Apple Festival. For updates, visit the New Harmony Fire Association Website.
Author: Briar Adams Editor: Nick Stein Photo courtesy of U. S. Department of Agriculture
