Shelburne Orchards to Host Apple Season Event Sept. 15

08/25/2009

Erica Houskeeper  802-828-0528

MONTPELIER, Vt. – Shelburne Orchards will host an Apple Season Kick-Off Event on Sept. 15 featuring Woodchuck Cider, Apple iPods, Shelburne Farms cheese and live music to celebrate the autumn harvest.

Sponsored in partnership with the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing, the event is free and open to the public from 4 to 6 p.m. at Shelburne Orchards, located at 216 Orchard Rd. in Shelburne. The event is also the official launch of the third annual “Apples to iPods” promotion, giving visitors to Vermont’s pick-your-own orchards a chance to win an Apple iPod.

Apple picking is one of the most popular activities for visitors during Vermont’s foliage season. Vermont has almost 4,000 acres of commercial apple production, and the state’s leading apple varieties are McIntosh, Cortland, Red Delicious and Empire.

“People come to Vermont from across the globe to experience our legendary foliage and to enjoy an incredible array of outdoor fall activities,” said Bruce Hyde, Vermont’s Commissioner of Tourism and Marketing. “Visiting an apple orchard is a perfect family outing and a fun way to explore the beauty of Vermont’s countryside.”

Vermont’s apple industry is important to the state economy, contributing more than $12 million as well as an additional $7 million in value added products such as pies and cider.

Woodchuck Cider, an award-winning hard cider handcrafted with apples, will offer samples of its Woodchuck Amber Cider, Granny Smith and Fall Limited Release at the Apple Season Kick-Off Event. Shelburne Orchards, located on 80 acres along the shores of Lake Champlain, will provide guests with handcrafted cheese from Shelburne Farms, as well as cider and doughnuts.

As part of the Apples to iPods promotion, 24 specially marked wooden apples are being placed in apple trees at participating pick-your-own orchards around the state. The lucky customers who find a wooden apple will win an Apple iPod.

The Apples to iPods promotion is sponsored in partnership with the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing, Woodchuck Cider, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets and Small Dog Electronics. For more information about Apples to iPods, visit www.applestoipods.com.  

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