Notes from the Orchard: Bloom Season in Michigan

2020 Young Apple Leaders: Angela Sommers

While some city kids were yelling out “car” during the middle of a ball game each time a station wagon passed through, USApple Young Apple Leader Angela Sommers was roaming around in her backyard—which also happened to be an apple orchard.  “My first memory would be stepping out my backdoor and being in the orchard. … Continued

A Virginia Partnership for Delicious Dry Cider

As the hard cider industry continues to grow, we’re excited to learn more (and sample) the delicious partnerships coming to fruition between our grower members and cideries that are helping to introduce more consumers to delicious apple products. In a recent interview, we heard from David and Philip Glaize of Glaize Apples, based in the Shenandoah … Continued

Philadelphia Orchard Project: Bringing Permaculture to Local Communities

Earlier this harvest season, one of our members, Hess Brothers of Pennsylvania, donated apples to a cider festival. Through the festival, we connected with an inspiring organization that is transforming communities across Philadelphia by educating and involving area residents in a process near and dear to us: growing tree fruits. Philadelphia Orchard Project (POP), is … Continued

Apples4Ed: Meet Winans Elementary School

Livingston, Montana is a small rural town of about 7,000 people near Bozeman on the outer banks of the Yellowstone River. Most first and second graders in the area attend Winans Elementary School, where nearly half of students receive free or reduced lunch. At Winans Elementary, healthy snack and celebration guidelines provide guidance for parents … Continued

Apples4Ed: Meet Rensselaer City School District

Bob Stranahan is a health teacher at Rensselaer Junior Senior High school (RJSHS) in Rensselaer City School District. Rensselaer, N.Y. has fewer than 10,000 residents, and is located just across the Hudson River and a few miles away from Albany, N.Y. According to Stranahan, about 75 percent of the students who attend RJSHS receive free … Continued

Apples4Ed: Meet the Michigan School for the Deaf

Brittney Damerow is the Director of Dining Services at the Michigan School for the Deaf (MSD), in Flint, Mich., which serves students as young as 30 months old through young adults in their mid-20s. Students hail from counties and school districts across Michigan. Because many of the students’ families live in a different part of … Continued

Apples4Ed 2019: Meet NOVA High School

As a teacher at an alternative high school in north Milwaukee, Jennifer Parr is working to bring different approaches to her science and health classes. She applied to the Apples4Ed program with ideas for more engaging ways to educate and motivate students to eat healthier and share healthier habits with their families. Parr’s school, NOVA … Continued

Notes from the Orchard: Bloom Season in Michigan

Notes from the Orchard: Bloom Season in Michigan If you caught our Instagram lately, you were treated to a behind-the-scenes adventure in springtime orchards with Elizabeth Wittenbach, a fifth-generation apple, field corn and soybean farmer based in Belding, Michigan. The Wittenbach’s family farm operation includes Elizabeth and her father, Mike, and grandfather, Ed. From King … Continued