Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community apple-picking festival is Sept. 8

Jason Sandford September 3, 2012

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

Looks like this coming weekend is kicking off the early fall event season.

This event in Gerton is one of my favorite annual rituals: Pick apples, drink cider and eat apple pie at a communally owned eco-community. Bring something to put all those apples in, because you’ll be bringing home as much as you can carry. Wear walking shoes.

For family-friendly outdoor events as fall draws near, it doesn’t get much better than this. The drive to nearby Gerton isn’t bad, and puts you in the same lovely neighborhood as Flying Cloud Farm and Hickory Nut Gap Meats.

From a press release:

Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012 – Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community is sponsoring the 5th annual Apple Fest Fundraiser on Saturday, September 8, 2012, from 1:00 – 5:00 PM in its organic apple orchard on Rt. 74A in Gerton/Bat Cave, NC. It is a family-friendly fun event in support of Hickory Nut Forest’s organic orchard and gardens. Suggested donations are $3 per car load (carpooling is encouraged) and $2 per bag of organic apples. Apple picking, apple bobbing, apple cider pressing, apple goodie sampling, an apple cake walk, and an apple pie contest will be the featured events. All pie entries should be brought to Jane Lawson by 2:00 PM to be entered into the contest.

Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community is located on 240 magnificent acres in Hickory Nut Gorge in Gerton, 17 miles southeast of Asheville. The community features green homes with renewable energy (including a brand-new micro-hydro system garnering electric power from the flow of Hickory Nut Creek), organic gardens and orchards, 5 miles of trails, and a community center called Laughing Waters.

Apple Picking

Apple Bobbing

Apple Cider Pressing

Apple Cake Walk

Apple Pie Contest

(entries in by 2:00)

No Dogs Please

Donations:

$3 per car

(carpooling encouraged)

$2 per bag of apples

All proceeds help sustain the orchard