Vintage Virginia Apples’ Annual Apple Harvest Festival and Slow Food Tasting Workshop

(From the Slow Food Old Dominion convivium):

Vintage Virginia Apples’ Annual Apple Harvest Festival and Slow Food Tasting Workshop
November 5, 10am-5pm, Rural Ridge Orchard, North Garden Virginia

Vintage Virginia Apples’ Annual Apple Harvest Festival expands this year to include a Slow Food Tasting Workshop where local food growers present a variety of grass fed meats, herbs and vegetables, and locally produced foods and food products.

One of the major goals of Slow Food International, USA and the local Old Dominion Convivium is to link producers with consumers. Slow Food has organized an event in collaboration with Vintage Virginia Apples that celebrates and promotes producers who grow delicious foods in ecologically friendly ways. In addition to those who produce USDA grass fed meats—beef, lamb, ostrich, pork, bison and goat--there will be other producers of local food products sharing their knowledge of fruits and vegetables available locally. Though the local growing season is nearly over, there are still fresh vegetables and herbs to enliven daily menus.

Seminars scheduled for 11am, 12:30 pm and 2pm will include Pairing Cheese and Apples with Kate Collier, owner of Feast, a leading expert in the world of cheeses and Tom Burford, orchardist and nursery consultant; a presentation on Winter Salad Gardens by botanist, Margaret Shelton and woman farmer, Ramona Huff, woman farmer will speak on Advantages of Heritage Breeds and Grass Fed Meats.

Chef Howie Velie of Magnolia Restaurant, a member of Slow Food, will be on hand talking about incorporating locally grown and seasonal foods into daily menus. The majority of the exhibitors are experienced growers eager to share their knowledge and provide product samples through out the day long festival. The Tasting Workshop is a hallmark activity of the Old Dominion Convivium that brought you two cheese festivals and an apple festival in 2003 and 2004, several Food and Film events and a Farm Tour in 2005.

Vintage Virginia Apple Harvest Festival is the place to learn about apple growing, tree selection and planting, apple cider and apple butter making. It is an apple tasting event unequaled in this area, hosted by the Shelton family. For an extensive look inside this family apple operation go to www.vintagevirginiaapples.com. The Cove Garden Ruritans partner with Vintage Virginia Apples each year making Brunswick stew, apple butter, providing hayrides, featuring history and craft displays demonstrating Southern Albemarle’s agricultural heritage and holding a bake sale.

These activities are provided by folks who practice sound principals of biodiversity, care about the future of our food supply and feel a responsibility to share their enthusiasm and commitment for locally grown fresh food with you. This event is presented free of charge to the public.

Rural Ridge Farm is located on Route 29 South of Charlottesville in North Garden, Virginia. From Charlottesville, 8 miles south of I-64. From the south, .8 miles north of the Crossroads Store (Route 692) See website for map www.vintagevirginiaapples.com.