Apple-lovers from all over gathered at Fenceline Cider last Saturday for the Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project’s annual social.
The social featured cider tasting, music and more, and was hosted by the Mancos cidery and MORP, a nonprofit founded by Addie and Jude Schuenemeyer to help preserve heritage apple varieties and revive an apple economy in Southwest Colorado.
“This is such a fun event honoring our fruit-growing heritage,” said Addie Schuenemeyer in an email to The Journal. “We had a great turnout at the Orchard Social with several different groups traveling all the way from the Front Range to attend as well as to purchase heritage apple trees.”
At the event, 75 heritage apple trees were sold, and kids were able to learn apple-pressing techniques, according to Schuenemeyer.
“We had lots of conversations about old apples, historic orchards, and plans for our region’s fruit-growing future,” she added.
Orchardists were able to enter their apples into a Homegrown Apple Show.
Sue and Dave Murray’s Winter Banana apple won Best of Show, earning them a heritage apple tree hand-grafted by MORP.
Music was provided by Loki Moon.
ealvero@ the-journal.com
