Hello everyone! If you’re on our emailing list you’ve already received the message that apple season has started! Our ‘official’ open date is August 15th (Saturday) but the store has been unofficially open for a few days now. We’ve had small quantities of apples and other things that we figure we might as well be open as we get the store organized and up and running.

One thing we’ll be having again are our baking mixes. These were very popular last season. We provide the dry ingredients…you add the apples and wet ingredients…hard to get easier than that! These are the mixes we’re offering this season:

• Apple Crisp
• Apple Crumb Cake
• Apple Spice Bread
• Apple Streusel Muffins
• Apple Streusel Coffee Cake
• Taffy Apple Cake

We also did some crazy canning in preparation for this apple season! We have some of the classics and some new things to offer this year. Here’s what you’ll find (at least early in the season…don’t wait too long!):

• Apple Butter
• Apple Jalapeno Preserves
• Apple Pie in a Jar
• Applesauce - chunky and smooth
• Caramel Apple Jam
• Hot Pepper Mustard
• Spiced Cider Jelly
• Sweet Apple Pickles

I’ll be featuring each of these throughout the season so you can learn a little more about them.

The craft section at the orchard has increased dramatically! I have made much more jewelry, have a new line of baby quilts, many more fun bags, and lots and lots of hand-dyed clothing. If you want a sneak peak at these things feel free to look through my etsy sites: http://www.kimscraftyapple.etsy.com/ and http://www.theapple.etsy.com/.

I’m excited for Saturday and hope to see you all this apple season!

If you’ve been to our orchard you know that we sell honey. We don’t actually extract the honey ourselves…one of the neighbors of the Kroncke Road Orchard does that. So, we have to jar the honey after we get it in really large buckets and put into sellable quantities. Jared is in charge of this and lately he has recruited a few helpers…have I mentioned my husband is adorable!

Cedi picks out the clean jar and hands it to Papa. Papa fills it with honey. Capri puts the lid on.

Cedi attaches the label!

And then we have honey to sell! It was so much fun watching them all work together…I don’t think I have Papa’s patience for that but the girls sure do love to help!

Once again, I’ve chosen a recipe from the Wisconsin Apple Grower’s Association Cookbook. There are just so many delicious sounding recipes for me to share with you!

Apple Chicken Salad/Sandwiches

Barbara Starks, Edgerton

1996 Finalist

Dressing

1 – 8 ounce can crushed pineapple (juice packed)

1 tsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup mayonnaise

Combine the first four ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Cool. Add the mayonnaise. Stir to mix well. Set aside.

1/2 cup chopped apples

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup chicken (cooked and chopped)

Combine chicken, apples and walnuts. Add the pineapple dressing; stir to mix well. Store in airtight container.

Makes enough for 2 sandwiches.

Limited quantities of this cookbook will be for sale at our orchard when we open next Saturday, August 15th.

My mother-in-law, Diane, is an amazing gardener.  I would never take the time or have the patience to do what she does but man is it beautiful!  Here are a few images of what you’ll see while you walk around the orchard at Bohling Road.                       

Only about a week and you can walk around and enjoy the beautiful flowers for yourself!