Apple Butter

The Apple Butter and the Ox Roast Festivals were held in Burton, OH this weekend. The weather was unseasonably warm and can be simply described as "not a cloud in the sky, not a care in the world." Great for a hay ride, funnel cakes, kettle corn, apple butter, and some ox roast.

Day 120/365 - Hay ride along Main St

The Apple Butter Festival was held at Century Village. Entrance fee was $7.00 per adult. Bug wasn't very pleased about that, but the man at the ticket booth was so jovial, it almost made up the price of admission.

Spices, fried batter, hay, and burning wood filled the air as we meandered around the historic village. It smelled like a festival.

Prior to moving to these parts, I had never heard of, let alone had apple butter.  If you like spiced applesauce, you will love apple butter. We indulged in a slice of bread with a generous smear of apple butter for $1.00.

Day 120/365 - Cooking up apple butter

At the tent on the left, we heard glass clanking. A woman was placing canning jars side by side along several tables to prepare for the apple butter, which was sold under the pavilion to the right.  Making apple butter appears to be quite labor intensive, with the contents being stirred constantly.

Other stalls included funnel cake, a sandwich that looked a lot like a Philly cheesesteak, apple fritters, and kettle corn.

Day 120/365 - Kettle corn

The lady looked like she was doing the most strenuous part of making kettle corn, bending over and swooshing the popped corn around. My lower back hurt just watching her. I kind of felt bad just standing there, so I asked Bug to take this picture.  I wonder if people thought he was cutting in line. No one said anything.

Simultaneously being celebrated outside the Village were the Ox Roast Festival and Oxtoberfest.  Polka was blaring at a tent cordoned off by a fluorescent orange plastic fence to keep the drunks in?

The aroma of meat was intoxicating.

Day 120/365 - That's some bad hat

We followed our noses and stood in a line that formed along the side of a wood shed.  We shared an ox roast dinner -- undressed ox roast sandwich, baked beans, cole slaw, and horseradish ($9.00). The food was okay.

Day 120/365 - Oxtoberfest is over there

While standing in line for our dinner, I learned that Burton had the first phone in the state of Ohio. Oh, and the pumpkin pie ice cream for dessert really hit the spot. $2.50 is a fantastic price!

The festivals were a nice way to drag ourselves out of our cave and visit a town during the most beautiful time of year, as well as learn and experience a few things. I'm glad we did this!

- Cassaendra