HARVEST FEST AND MORE

HARVEST FEST 2012 - NEAR-PERFECTION!

Continued Indian summer weather, a great apple crop, sumptuous food, and 200+ enthusiastic participants made for a near-perfect celebration of the Buckner Orchard and Stehekin Community on October 6!

 

Valley residents and visitors spent an enjoyable day picking apples, making cider, visiting with old friends and new ones alike, enjoying the music of Stehekin's own End of the Road, while filling plates from the large selection of potluck food. What a glorious day, and the orchard has never looked better!

 

 

 

See what you missed or reminisce about your time at the Buckner Homestead with photos of the day provided by Leo Christoffer, Crystal Austin, and Herb Sargo. (Photos)

 

Follow this link to Wilfred Woods' column in the Wenatchee World celebrating this year's Harvest Fest. Thank you, Wilfred! (Column)

 

MANY SPECIAL THANKS

Special thanks are in order for Eric Little and John Schinneman of Whildbey Island, friends of the Stehekin Community, for completely refurbishing both cider presses at the orchard. Metal and wood parts were replaced or retooled in their shops in Freeland, WA, and the presses are not only much easier to use, especially for kids, but will now serve the community for many years to come. They look great! Thank you both for you generous contribution to the Orchard and Stehekin Community.

The project and transportation to and from Whidbey Island was facilitated by the Foundation, and we are very grateful to Tom Courtney Tug and Barge for providing shipment of one of the presses.

 

Eric is pictured readying the presses for their maiden voyage.

 

NEW BUCKNER ORCHARD SIGN

Harvest Fest 2012 also brought the unveiling of the new Buckner Orchard sign on the Stehekin Valley Road. Construction of the sign was funded by the Buckner Homestead Heritage Foundation, and is pictured here with Wendy Garfoot. The old sign, created by the late Phil Garftoot, now resides at Wendy's new home in Stehekin. The Garfoots were long-time residents at the Orchard and are responsible for much of the work that has made the Buckner Homestead and Orchard what it is today.

 

FALL ORCHARD WORK DAY

13 friends of the orchard spent the morning of October 5 readying the orchard for winter by removing grass and apples from around trees for mice control, cleaning up around the buildings, and other structures, and preparing for the next day's Harvest Fest. (Photos)

 

GRANTS APPROVED

At its annual meeting on May 14, the Foundation Board approved the following grants for work and services at the Buckner Orchard:
     Hazardous Tree Removal  -  $3,000.00
     Replacement of Entrance Sign  -  $2,000.00
     Tree Cage Removal  -  $2,000.00
     WSU Ext. Consultant - $350.00
     Upgrades to Current Fence  -  $1,200.00
     Fill Tractor Tires  -  $600.00
     Replace Old-style Culverts  -  $1,900.00
In addition, The Foundation will work with NPS on improving the wagon shed roof and inventorying, sorting, and placing historic equipment at the Orchard.

NON-PROFIT STATUS

The Foundation has now acquired its own non-profit, 501 (c)(3) status and is no longer a project of the Community Foundation for NCW!

ELECTIONS

Board members David Kurth (Stehekin) and Doug England (Manson) were re-elected to their respective postions as Stehekin Community Representative and Apple Industry Representative.  In addition, Herb Sargo (Sedro-Woolley) was re-elected Foundation president, JoAnne Reiter (Walla Walla) re-elected Secretary, and Cinda Gilbert (Manson) was re-elected Treasurer.

PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBIT IN CHELAN

Historic photos from the Orchard Centennial Exhibit are now on display at the Lake Chelan Museum in Chelan.  This is a great chance to view or revisit the earlier days of the Buckner Orchard and Homestead.  The exhibit will be on display through September.

CALENDAR SET FOR 2012

Work parties, meetings, and Harvest Fest dates are all included in our 2012 Calendar of Events.

MEMBERSHIP DRIVE 2012

Our membership drive for 2012 is underway. Join us today and help support the Buckner Homestead and Orchard. (Membership Form)

ANNUAL REPORT 2011

2011, the Centennial Year of the Buckner Orchard, was a busy and produuctive time. Our Annual Report of these activities, financial as well as events, are here for your review and comment.

ANNUAL REPORT

The 2010 Annual Report of Foundation activities is now available. Review the past year's events and happenings here, then join us in creating great events and memories this year in preseving all that is good about the Buckner Orchard and Homestead.

A GREAT WEEKEND IN STEHEKIN!

What a great weekend!

Orchard Centennial Kick-0ff - With a full house at the Golden West Lodge, the Kick-off to the Buckner Orchard Centennial was an over-whelming success. Thanks to the tremendous work of Adrienne Carpenter and Christine Sargo, the 95 attendees were provided personal and entertaining insights to the people and life at the Orchard over the past 100 years. Displays of historic photographs, personal letters to and from the Buckner Family,artifacts, and anecdotes shared made for a extraordinary evening. (Photos - thanks to Rick Beauchesne, Crystal Austin/Crystalviewgraphics, and Herb Sargo). For further information, check the History Note in the previous posting.

2nd Annual Harvest Fest - Bracketed by beautiful fall weather, Harvest Fest avoided the heavy rain of Friday and Saturday evenings for another great day of picking apples, making cider, and community potluck while enjoying the music of Stehekin's own, End of the Road.

Pictures are worth a thousand words, so please enjoy the creative and captivating work of Mike and Nancy Barnhart/Barnhart Photography, Crystal Austin of Crystalviewgraphics, Rick Beauchesne, and Herb Sargo. Many thanks to all for sharing these with us.

Wilfred Woods has, again, captured the spirit of the weekend in his Talking it Over column on the front page of the Wenatchee World. Thanks, Wilfred!

Start planning now for Saturday, October 8, for the 3rd annual Harvest Fest.

Many thanks to the many,many people who made both of these events a success!