Here are some pictures of the folks that entered the 2012 Apple Pie Contest showing off their pies pre-judging:

Results of the pie contest coming soon!

Happy Saturday night everyone!  I hope you’re as excited about all the fun we have planned for you all tomorrow – the last day the apple store will be open for the season.  Miraculously we still have some cider left from Thursday nights pressing.  We also have Cortland's, Idareds, caramel apples, apple cider donuts, canned goods, honey, maple syrup, pumpkins, squash, hand crafted items, vintage goods, and more.  While you’re doing your final stock up for the year be sure to enjoy some of the special fun we have planned. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below is the final schedule for the day:

10:00—Store Opens for Business
10:30—***CANCELED**** Old Fashion Cider Pressing Demo – sorry not enough apples left!
12:00—Hard Cider Info Booth Opens until 3:00
11:30—Rock ‘N’ Wool Acres: A Wisconsin Winery Arrives
12:30—***CANCELED**** Old Fashion Cider Pressing Demo – sorry not enough apples left!
12:45—Deadline for Contest Pies & Carved Pumpkins to be Delivered
1:00—Viewing of the Apple Pies
1:30—Apple Pie Contest Judging Starts
1:30 – Voting starts for the Carved Pumpkins
2:30—***CANCELED**** Old Fashion Cider Pressing Demo – sorry not enough apples left!
2:45 – Pumpkin voting ends
3:00—Hard Cider Info Booth Closes
3:00- approximate time pies will be cut and served - $1/slice and 100% of the proceeds will go to the PAD Parent Club to use for the new playground for the Poynette School District
3:15ish  ***Pending judging is complete by 3:00 – announcing of the pie winners and the carved pumpkin contest
5:00—Store Closes

Let’s take a closer look at the main events:

Apple Pie Baking Contest

Last year we held our very first pie contest and it went unbelievably well - 20 pies!– so we’re going to be holding it again!

This morning my two amazing sitters – Josie and Sam, patiently helped the girls each put together an apple pie for the contest! I can’t tell you how happy it makes me that they get to enjoy some of the fun that I come up with!  AND I’m so so so happy to have willing and able sitters to help them do so!

If you ware interested in baking a pie for the contest please send me an email: {lapaceksorchard at gmail dot com} with your name and pie baking story (if you have one – if you don’t have a story, no worries). Plan on arriving at the orchard by 12:45pm with your pie. Pie viewing and photo’s will take place at 1:00pm and judging will start at 1:30pm.
Once judging is complete - I'm guessing around 3:00ish... we'll be cutting all the pies up into slices and selling them for $1 a slice.  100% of the money made from the apple pie slice sales will go to the PAD Parent Group towards the new playground in the Poynette School District.

We have LOTS of prizes this year!

The pies are going to be split into two (or three if needed) groupings of judges – the top two from each grouping will go to the ‘Final Round’ where three judges – Becky, Bob, and Pat will decide which one is the winner.

The WINNER of the pie contest will receive a $20 gift certificate to the Food Fight Restaurant Group, an apple peeler/corer/slicer from Lapacek’s Orchard (or $20 to the shop if you already have one), a cooking gift box from Penzey’s Spices, an Apple Pie Soy Candle from CJ’s Eco Chic, AND newly added – a hug from Cedi, Capri and possibly, Pip (depending on her mood).

Depending on how many groupings we need to split the pies into there will be either three or four top pies.

If there are three top pies the two runner’s up will get the following prizes:

$20 to the Food Fight Restaurant Group, an apple corer/slicer from Lapacek’s Orchard and $10 to use at Lapacek’s Orchard, cinnamon from Penzey’s Spices, and an Apple Pie Soy Candle in a Tin from CJ’s Eco Chic

If there are four top pies – the three runner’s up will receive the above prizes except we’ll be drawing for the $20 gift certificates – the third person drawn will get $10 to Food Fight Restaurant Group.

Just for coming with a pie to the contest you’ll be entered into the random drawing for prizes.  And do we have a lot of them!

• one of nineteen $10 gift certificates to Food Fight Restaurant Group
• a Baking Mini Gift Box from Penzey’s Spices
• 3 jars of Penzey’s Spice cinnamon

More details on prizes, judges, criteria - see THIS POST!

**CANCELED*** Old-Fashioned Cider Pressing Demo*:

“Come Squeeze Our Apples”

Sorry we can’t do this this year – our apple supply is almost completely gone.  We just don’t have enough for this demonstration but hope to bring it back to Apple-Palooza in future years.

 

 

 

Rock ‘N’ Wool Acres: A Wisconsin Winery – How & Why

Our cousin, Shaun Lapacek, will be giving a talk about the winery he and his father are building in Poynette –Rock N Wool Acres. His talk will focus on three things:

1. Starting a winery
2. Creating a vineyard
3. Why a winery in Wisconsin?

Hard Apple Cider Booth

Our good friend Jay Walters will have a booth set up from NOON - 3pm to talk about and answer all your questions on how to make hard cider. Jay has been doing this for years and we’ve helped drink and enjoy many of his products – this guy knows what he’s talking about.

 

 

****NEW*** CARVED PUMPKIN CONTEST!

photo by meliroo on flickr

Last year we discovered that there’s quite a bit of standing around while the pies get judged.  We had 20 pies last year – I’m hoping for 40 this year so we need something to do to fill in that time for all the observers/bakers.  We’re going to have a ‘Carved Pumpkin Contest’.  People of all ages can bring their carved pumpkin – anytime before 12:45, put it on display and then we’ll all walk by and vote for our personal favorite!  I’ll have a prize for the best carved pumpkin – $15 to use at the apple orchard shop.  If you come in costume – you’ll get a treat!  (My biggest sadness about living in the country is that no one trick-or-treats out here…we go and steal a neighborhood so my kids can though…). 

 

Our family carved our pumpkins today.  This is the first time we’ve had time to carve pumpkins!  It was great fun and the girls really enjoyed themselves (Capri’s pumpkin (far left) has four faces – I guess she can then rotate it when she wants to change her mood…)

 

***NEW*** – Squash Taste Tests

photo by Michelle Cross Photography

Since we aren’t able to do the Old Fashioned Cider Pressing Demo’s we’ve decided to cook up some different squash so you can taste it and decide which variety you like best – or if you like them all!

 

As you can see – our last day is FULL of fun things to do at the orchard! We’ll also have a bean bag game set up and other fun extra games to do as we wait for the judges to complete their tasting. 

Even though this is the last day the store will be opening I want to make sure you know that we will RE-OPEN for the Hand Crafted Hoedown for the Holiday’s on November 16th and 17th!

Yes! We are having the Handcrafted Hoedown for the Holiday’s again this year. I’m excited to be able to share with you some familiar faces and some new ones in this years collection of goods. Can you believe this is the SIXTH year for the sale! How amazing!

photo from the 2011 Hoedown

 

I’ll start out with talking the basics:

What: An opportunity to buy unique, locally hand-crafted items for friends and family while listening to holiday music!

Items from numerous artists include: Quilts, Ornaments, Baskets, Bags and Purses, Belts, Scarves, Holiday Decorations, Baby Items, Hand-dyed Clothing, Jewelry, Crocheted Hats, Winter-Wear Items, Stockings, Tree Skirts, Candles and MORE!  I’ll be doing some ‘sneak peek’ posts this year to give you an idea what you can expect!

Don’t miss the mini quilt shop!

WHEN:

Friday, November 16th from 9am – 6pm

Saturday, November 17th from 9am – 5pm

• A Girl Scout Cookie Booth will be set up on November 18th from 10am to 3pm!

WHERE:

Lapacek’s Orchard

N1959 Kroncke Road

Poynette, WI 53955

 

Make and Take (or Kits) Ornaments – Start a New Holiday Tradition

   For the first time we’ll be holding a ‘Make and Take’ Ornament Station.  We’ll have some cute, simple drawings of either a snowman, a reindeer, an owl, or a penguin for you to choose from (Capri is holding the snowman and reindeer).  At the station the child will stamp their finger print into the main body portion of the creature.  We can add the date and any other personalization you would like to the ornament.  It will hang from a canning lid…a perfect decoration for the tree this season and a fun keepsake!  If you don’t have your child with you we will also be selling the kits and you can do it with your child/grandchild/etc at your home.  (Make N Take - $3, Kits - $2)

 

Each year we will plan a new Make N Take Station.  These ornaments can become a tradition for your family to hang on your tree each year. 

 

Gift Wrapping for Children in Need

We are going to be offering gift wrapping this year. For just a $1 donation we’ll put your purchase in a nice bag with tissue and tag – all ready for gifting!  100% of the proceeds from the gift wrapping will be used to buy gifts for children on the Poynette Bank Giving Tree. I'm really excited about this! Cedi, Capri, Persimoni and I will do the shopping (yes - I love to shop!)

 

I’m really looking forward to another fabulous holiday sale.  Although we’ll be out of apples this year for the sale we will be offering apple cider donuts and caramel apples.  If you need to stock up on either of these be sure to let me know ahead of time and we’d be happy to fill your order! 

 

Because the apple store is closing earlier than normal you can expect to see some incredible new items from Diane and I.  We’ve been brainstorming and working together on some projects…it’s going to be incredible!

 

photo from the 2011 Hoedown

 

I was looking around on Pinterest today and I thought I’d post a few potential ideas for the Apple Pie you could bring for the contest on Sunday… just a hint…

 

 

Okay…I could keep going and going and going with these finds…just head to Pinterest and search ‘apple pie’ and I’m sure you’ll get TONS of ideas!

Even if you don’t think your pie will win please bring one!  Once the judging is done we’ll be cutting the pies into slices, selling the for $1/slice and 100% of the proceeds will go to buying new playground equipment for the Poynette School District.  A win, win!  Remember – last year’s winner made that particular pie for the very first time for this contest – you never know! 

And can I just say…all these pictures of pie are making me very, very hungry!

All photo’s on this blog post were taken by Michelle Cross Photography. Michelle did a fantastic job shooting each event so I’ll be able ‘illustrate’ each challenge for you! If you want to order any photo’s from the race follow these instructions:

1. go to www.michellecrossphotography.blogspot.com
2. Click ‘clients’
3. Click ‘Apple-Azing Race Gallery’

Each challenge was named after a book to follow along with the fact that we were raising money for the Poynette Area Public Library. I’m going to blog about each challenge – the clue to find the challenge, the challenge itself and exactly what each team had to do at each challenge.

At this point teams have gotten lost in a maze, completed an obstacle course, put together a wine press, created a scarecrow, pressed some cider the old fashioned way, eaten half a dozen donuts, and organized a box of books.  They had just one last fun challenge:

"I Scream, You Scream:  A Mystery a la Mode" by Wendy Lyn Watson Challenge Clue

Hop in your car and make your way to the next challenge screaming, “You Scream, I Scream”.

Decide on the 1 team member that will participate in this challenge. Don’t forget your duck!

From this clue that had to determine that they needed to head to Sassy Cow Creamery…just 11 minutes from the apple orchard. 

"I Scream, You Scream:  A Mystery a la Mode" by Wendy Lyn Watson Challenge

One member of your team must turn in the duck at the counter of Sassy Cow Creamery. You will get a plate of ice cream which you need to take to the picnic table area. See how fast you can eat your ice cream without using your hands! Once your plate is cleaned – gather your next clue.

 

Of course – it couldn’t have been a nice warm day…it was FREEZING that morning and I made them all stick their faces into a nice cold place of ice cream!  It does look like they all had a good time though!

 

Our top ten finishers of this challenge:

FIRST: Galloping Gimps

Second: Zeke’s Crew

Third: Poodle Puppies

Fourth: Two Bad Apples

Fifth: The Apple-Azing Pie and Ice Cream Team

Sixth: Pink Ladies

Seventh: Girls Next Door

Eighth: Beauties and the Beasts

Ninth: The Apples

Tenth: Agora Healing

 

So now that you’ve seen the challenges our 17 teams went through…what do you think?  Do you wish you could have signed up this year?  Would you want to do it in the future?  I would love some feedback!