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Members: See the Apple Cider Powerpoint presentation from the Apple Summit.

Enjoying the Harvest is a new activity book written for children showing how Wisconsin's farmers get fruits and vegetables from the field to market.  Students will follow the growing process month-by-month - from winter pruning through spring planting and the growing season to the fall harvest.  The 24 page booklet offers challenging word searches, crosswords, reading, and coloring activities.  

The booklet was produced through a joint effort of the Wisconsin Apple Growers, Wisconsin Berry Growers and Wisconsin Fresh Market Vegetable Growers Associations.  It is funded in part by grants from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection and Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation Ag in the Classroom.  It was written by WAGA Executive Director Anna Maenner and illustrated by Bradley Maenner.

The book can be used in classrooms, given out on field trips, or offered to children at orchards and farm markets.  Cost of the book is 25¢ each in packs of 50.  To order, print the mail-in form or contact the Wisconsin Apple Growers at (800) 722-3120 or email.

Winners Named in Apple Recipe Contest

 Good cooks know how to use Wisconsin apples in their cooking and baking.  They are delicious and versatile when used in cakes, pies, breads, salads, and main dishes.  Once again, the Wisconsin Apple Growers Association held the annual Apple Recipe Contest for 2007 where cooks submitted their favorite apple recipes.   From the many recipes submitted, finalists were selected for each of two categories—desserts and salads.  Recipes had to feature Wisconsin varieties of apples and were judged for such things as appearance, uniqueness, ease of preparation, and presentation.   

            First place in the desserts division went to Shirley Johnson of Warrens for her Apricot-Apple Crumble.  “I’ve always liked apricots,” said Shirley when asked about her recipe, “and the apples really bring out the flavor.”  Second place in the desserts division went to Pam Jordan of Milwaukee for her Crumb Crust Apple Pie made with Honeycrisp apples. Third was Shelly Platten of Amherst, with a rich but reduced fat Apple White Chocolate Cheesecake Pie. 

Top honors in the salads division went to Mary Anne Schaefer of Fort Atkinson for Apple Chicken Salad (with Pecans).  Mary Anne said, “It’s a beautiful salad, and it’s so good with the apples, pecans, and chicken.”  Wild Rice, Apple, Pecan Salad entered by Karen Phillips of Lily took second place honors, with Karen Schmidt of Racine coming in third with a different, easy-to-make Apple Chicken Salad recipe.

The top three recipes in each category can be found on the Wisconsin Apple Growers Association website   Copies of the winning apple recipes can also be obtained by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: WAGA Winning Apple Recipes, 211 Canal Rd. Waterloo, Wis. 53594.  The annual event is coordinated by the Wisconsin Apple Growers Association and sponsored by Rural Mutual Insurance Company.

Wisconsin Apple Grower Cookbook

Each year, the Wisconsin Apple Growers Association holds its annual Apple Recipe Contest.  Wisconsin cooks enter their very best recipes with hope of taking home the first, second or third prize.  Now, we have compiled a book of all the top recipes of the last ten years, along with some of our members' favorites.  This 144 page wire-bound book features the best in apple desserts, salads, and low-calorie dishes.  It also includes apple cooking tips and beautiful, full color drawings of some of Wisconsin's favorite apple varieties.

Cookbooks are available for $10.95 each plus $2.55 shipping and handling or can be bought from many Wisconsin Apple Grower Association member orchards.   Order form. 

The 2007 Wisconsin Apple Recipe Contest is going on now.  This year, there are two categories - Desserts and Salads.  Mail your favorite recipes in with a picture of the prepared recipe for consideration.  There will be NO on-site contest this year.  See the complete rules here.  Deadline for entries is October 15, 2007.

The Wisconsin Apple Growers Association has released its new promotion for Wisconsin apples.  To get more information, contact WAGA at (920) 478-4277 or email office@waga.org