Adams County, Pennsylvania, has long been regarded as “Apple Country” and the rightful “apple” of this nation’s eye. After all, this is where the National Apple Harvest Festival is held each year during the first two full weekends in October. It’s also home to numerous other apple-based accolades and events. But that doesn’t mean other regions throughout the Mid-Atlantic don’t also boast a bounty of apple-centric seasonal celebrations to boot. One such enticing example can be found right in the heart of Virginia’s scenic Shenandoah Valley this Saturday. It’s the annual Apple Butter Festival at Wade’s Mill in Raphine—an autumn community mainstay 28 years in the making.
The general utilization of apples and apple products has a long and storied history that dates back to antiquity. The documented making of apple butter as the recognizable spread of today can even be traced to Medieval Europe. Naturally, settlers in Colonial America brought the purveying practice over to the New World early on.
To this day, apple butter remains a time-tested favorite preserve with many folks. Of course, in most instances, the methods for making it in the modern world have been facilitated tremendously when you compare it to the prolonged process it once was. Yet there are still instances where conventional, old-fashioned, open-kettle cooking is preferable.
That happens to be the case at the annual Apple Butter Festival at Wade’s Mill, where master maker Glenn Wilson brings together his traditional concoction via a long-handled stirring paddle and a large, more-than 130-year-old copper crock pot, slow-cooked and simmering over an open flame. It doesn’t get more traditional than that!
That’s most befitting when you consider the history of Wade’s Mill as the oldest, continuously operating commercial grist mill in the Shenandoah Valley region. It dates back to 1750 and is even on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register.
In addition to the entertainment to be had in watching the authentic apple butter-making process unfold before your eyes (and even getting to try your hand at it yourself if you desire), this year’s event promises plenty of other spectator sights and activities. Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit, for instance, will be onsite leading various demos that any dog-lover can appreciate.
Also, be sure to check out the 40+ local artisans and crafters who will be setting up shop here. They will be vending in an array of versatile gifts and other goods. You’re sure to discover some great finds, and you’ll be supporting local small businesses while you’re at it.
Live music will accompany the fall-festive follies throughout the day. Performers will include local sensations The Late Night Stumblers and Hoss & Soss & The Blue Grass Express.
Prepare to stay the day at Wade’s Mill with no need to vacate the premises come mealtime. A delightful range of local food and drink vendors will be onsite throughout the event, overseeing all your needs. There will, of course, be featured apple products, with provisions from Halcyon Days Cider Company, apple cider donuts from Blue Ridge Cider Donuts, and even vintage apples from Redwing Farms, among others. Additional non-apple options will be available as well.
The bounty of other bevies will include drinks from Jump Mountain Vineyard, Rockbridge Brewery, and coffee/specialty drinks from Asunder Coffee Roastery. Featured local eats will include favorites from LexVegas Bistro Shrimp & Grits, Hogback Mtn BBQ, Salerno Wood Fired Pizza, and others.
Edible vendor goods to be purchased include honey from Bels Bees, goat cheese from Razzbourne Farms, and Sweet Berry Farm’s versatile selection of pickles, salsas, and sauces. And don’t forget about the mill’s more than two-and-a-half-century renown for producing all-natural stoneground flours, grits, cornmeal, and other grain mixes. All of these can be purchased during the festival as well. Truth be told, the bread to be prepared from their resident grain mixes all go great with apple butter!
The Apple Butter Festival at Wade’s Mill makes for a most memorable, family-friendly fall endeavor. All festivities commence at 10 a.m. on October 19 and will run until 4 p.m. The festival is free to attend, and all are welcome.
Wade’s Mill is located at 55 Kennedy Wade’s Mill Loop, Raphine, Virginia 24472. To learn more about the mill, the festival, and for all other details, visit the website at www.wadesmill.com.