STIRRING UP THE TASTE OF FALL

Popular Apple Butter Festival taking place at Century Village

Fall was definitely in the air at this year’s Apple Butter Festival at the Century Village Museum in Burton Village.

However, the cool temperatures and rain showers did not prevent families from coming out to the annual event on Oct. 13.

“This is the first time in a while that we actually had fall weather,” said Doug Smith, who has been volunteering since 2012. “Usually, it’s warm this time of the year and it gets really hot by the fire.”

Geauga County Historical Society Board President Fred Green said the two-day event is so popular because they make apple butter the “old-fashion way.”

“It is quite a simple process, but takes a long time,” Green said. “On Wednesday, we had Amish volunteers come up and peel the apples and cut them into chunks. So that’s a big process. Yesterday, we started boiling. Then we put the apples in those big kettles and we start stirring. If you stop stirring, it will burn at the bottom. It takes four hours of constant stirring with paddles.”

Cinnamon is the only additional ingredient

added.

“We don’t add sugar, because it is naturally sweet from the apples,” he said.” Once the apples are broken down to the right consistency, then we immediately put the apple butter in pint jars and we put a label on it and sell it. The jars are still warm.”

Green said a lot of people just come to stock up on the apple butter.

“It is our biggest fundraiser,” he said. “The volunteers makes this event a success. If we didn’t have volunteers, we wouldn’t be able to do this.”

Newbury Township resident Beth McClintock is a longtime volunteer.

She received a lifetime membership to the museum as a gift from her uncle in the 80s and she said this is her way of giving back.

Aside from apple butter, there were also over 80 vendors on site selling a variety of products and produce.

Festival-goers also had an opportunity to get a tour of the museum and participate in other activities, Green said.

The Apple Butter Festival continues from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 14.

TAWANA ROBERTS — THE NEWS-HERALD Volunteer Beth McClintock stirs apple butter on Oct. 13 for the annual Apple Butter Festival at the Century Village Museum in Burton Village.

TAWANA ROBERTS — THE NEWS-HERALD Volunteers fill jars with fresh apple butter on Oct. 13 for the annual Apple Butter Festival at the Century Village Museum in Burton Village. The two-day event continues today.

TAWANA ROBERTS — THE NEWS-HERALD Geauga County Historical Society Board President Fred Green stirs apple butter on Oct. 13 at the Century Village Museum in Burton Village for the Apple Butter Festival.