During the last golden months of summer in Michigan, a great abundance of fresh, locally grown crops become widely available, and on August 8, Applewood celebrated this profusion of produce with an event called Goodies from the Garden. The grounds of the estate were open from 5-8pm to showcase the availability of fresh food and encourage healthy eating. Scattered throughout the property were tasty stops including a sampling in the demonstration garden, a tasting of the Farmers’ Market, refreshments in front of the main house, and a cooking demonstration with Chef Nate Brown of Chef Nate’s Wings and Things on Court Street. Chef Nate showed a hungry audience how to prepare fresh vegetables into delicious, low-sodium dishes. “Fresh is always better than canned: healthier and tastier too, when cooked correctly,” he said while he chopped, minced and simmered. After tasting the chef’s culinary delights—green beans with dill, creamed corn, and vegetable Alfredo—the audience was able to take home the recipes to replicate for their own dinner tables.
Many of the events at Applewood are kid-friendly, and at Goodies from the Garden, a scavenger hunt for children was devised throughout the grounds, in addition to other activities such as lettuce-planting and a station where kids could dig for potatoes. Children were also able explore the old barn and meet the horses inside. As they viewed the apples ripening in the orchard, adults enjoyed the musical talent of two local groups: Love Good, who performed original pieces in the tea house, and Eddie Barney & Friends, who entertained passers-by with sounds of smooth jazz.
If you’re hungry for some delicious goodies from the garden after reading this, note that Applewood will host their Fall Harvest Festival on September 28, when visitors can sample heritage apples, fresh-pressed cider and marvel at hundreds of different pumpkins, squash and gourds.
