The Shelton Family and Vintage Virginia Apples thank you for supporting our 8th Apple Harvest Festival held here at Rural Ridge Farm. We dedicated this day to celebrating the agricultural heritage of Southern Albemarle County and to sharing the world of vintage and heritage apples and fruit trees with our friends and neighbors. This year we paid special attention to inviting neighboring craftspeople and artisan food and drink producers, some of whom sold fresh produce, meat and dairy and others who offered a variety of tasty items for lunch.

The day was packed with fun and educational activities for the whole family:

Craft sales and demonstrations
Heritage apple varieties for tasting and purchase
Apples and Artisan Cheese tasting (facilitated by Professor Apple, Tom Burford, and Kate Collier of feast!; www.feastvirginia.com)
"Growing your Own Winter Salad Garden," by Margaret Shelton
Cider and wine tastings and sales, facilitated by Diane Flynt of Foggy Ridge Cider and featuring the wines of famed local vintners Gabriele Rausse and Michael Shaps
Chuck Shelton, leading tours and discussions around our new Cidery, discussing the historic significance of cider and today's manufacturing techniques
In the Kitchen magazine judging the annual Apple Pie contest
The CoveGarden Ruritan Cub providing Brunswick Stew cooked on site
Apple Butter made from a special selection of vintage apples and simmered all morning
Hayrides taking visitors over the ridge above the farm
A bake sale, an old-fashioned hot dog and hamburger stand, and activities designed to appeal to small children, including games and an animal exhibit
"Children’s Tasting Workshops" facilitated by Sarah Teaster of feast! (recommended for children 5 to 12 years old)

herbs for sale

Schedule of Events

Time and Events

Location

11:00 a.m.: Apple Tasting (FREE!)

Children's Tasting Workshop

Cider and Wine Tasting

Growing Your own Winter Salad Garden, with Margaret Shelton

Apple Sales Tent

Main Tent

Tasting Room

Main Tent

12:00 noon: Apple Tasting (FREE!)

Cidery Talk and Tour

Slow Food Apple Pie Contes

Cider and Wine Tasting

Apple Sales Tent

Main Tent

Tasting Room

1:00 p.m.: Rare Apple Tasting

Children's Tasting Workshop

Cider and Wine Tasting

Outside Tasting Room

Main Tent

Tasting Room

2:00 p.m.: feast! Apple and Artisan Cheese Tasting

Cider and Wine Tasting

Main Tent

Tasting Room

3:00 p.m.: Apple Tasting (FREE!)

Cidery Talk and Tour

Growing Your own Winter Salad Garden, with Margaret Shelton

Cider and Wine Tasting

Apple Sales Tent

Main Tent

Tasting Room

4:00 p.m.: Apple Tasting (FREE!)

Cider and Wine Tasting

Apple Sales Tent

Tasting Room

Participants tasted dozens of varieties of apples, and watched cider being pressed in hand operated mills. Apples, fresh cider, apple trees and orchard items were offered for sale. Featured vendors included:

Alex Pettigrew, Cutting Boards

Clyde F. Jenkins, White Oak Baskets

Phil and Sally James, Restoration & Reproduction

Margaret Shelton, Shelton Herbs

Richard and Jean, Double H Farm (produce & pork)

Carolyn Alvis, Carolyn's Kitchen Creations (jams, salsa, pickles)

Gail Hobbs-Page, Caromont Farm (chevre)

Megan & Rob Weary, Roundabout Farm

Bill & Kimberly Jones, Babes in the Woods

Glenn Clayton & Glenn, Hungry Hill Farm (honey and products)

Dr. Pat Elliott, Everona Dairy (cheese)

Susan Swales, Wild Oats Farm (beef, lamb)

Steph Rostow, Virginia Vinegar Works

Daniel, According to Daniel

Elena Day (pies, baked goods)

Clive Papayanis (relish)

Richard & Wendy, The Farm at Red Hill

Richard Bean, Double H Farm (sausage, applesauce)

Diane LaSauce, Free Union Produce and Gourmet Edibles

Gabrielle Rausse Winery

Diane Flynt, Foggy Ridge Cidery

CoveGarden Ruritans (brunswick stew)

Vintage Virginia Apples (apples, nursery trees, apple butter, cider, gift items)