Large turnout for first Grand Marais Apple Festival

As part of the apple festival Great Expectations charter school environmental instructor Erik Hahn brought out the school’s new apple press. Above, Erik talks to Tim and Jean Cochrane about the many items the kids have been making from apples. Behind Erik is the fenced in apple orchard at the Cook County Law Enforcement Center that is tended to by kids from the charter school. Photo courtesy of Carolyn Dry

The First annual Grand Marais Apple Festival, held on Oct. 19, was a huge success. In all, more than 400 people participated in a variety of activities throughout the county.

The Apple Festival was based at the Cook County Community Center, where vendors Melinda Spinler and Carolyn Dry were set up in the 4-H building with apples, apple goodies, and locally grown vegetables. Presentations about beekeeping by Mark Ditmanson, growing apples, and caring for apple trees by Diane Booth were held in the Community Center during the afternoon.

At Great Expectations school, Eric Hahn and his students made maps for all the places in the county that were part of the apple orchard tour. Those places included David Berglund’s farm where Heidi Berglund sold pies and many kinds of jellies, Ray Block’s apple orchard where the kids fed chickens, Stan Bautch’s apple orchard and the orchard at Cook County Law Enforcement Center across from Great Expectations School where the students set up a cider press at the school to demonstrate how to make cider.

People also had a chance to pick apples and tour the orchards.

We want to thank all the volunteers and those who participated in the festival this year. They include Diane Booth, who did all the community center logistics; Carolyn Dry, who organized the festival with help from Kathy Rice; Ray Block, who pushed the idea; Eric Hahn, who directed the work at the school; John Franz, who made big apple signs; the Co-op’s Becky Raman, WTIP, and Joan Farnam for publicity; and on the day Frankie Jarchow, Emma Bradley, Mary and Doug Sanders.

In short, we’re going to do it again. See you next year.