It's time to celebrate apple harvest season

By Meg Olson It’s time to celebrate autumn’s bounty and Point Robert’s farming heritage at the Point Roberts Apple Harvest Festival. The festival will run Saturday and Sunday, October 6 and 7, and is sponsored by Circle of Care. Circle of Care representative and festival organizer Annelle Norman said the event was created to make use of the abundant apples on the Point. “Four organizations, Circle of Care, the food bank, Benson Road Gardens and the garden club decided to buy a hand-made Correll apple cider press,” Norman said. “The press was used for the first time last fall when gallons of apple juice were pressed from apples collected by dozens of people.” This year, the apple pressing will be from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The food bank has ordered plastic one- and two-liter bottles for participants to carry their apple juice home. Apples should be gathered in bushel baskets or cardboard boxes, without cuts or big bruises, and allowed to age for a week or two prior to juicing.

A craft fair will run on both days of the festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Also, the fire department will be on hand to check blood pressure, blood sugar to help you fill out the Vial of Life for your home. If you are looking for apples to juice, or have apples on trees that you would be willing to share please contact Norman at prcircleofcare@gmail.com or 360/945-5222 and she will try to connect harvesters with apple trees. She added she would also like to hear from businesses or groups who would like to add their events to this year’s festival.