87.) Apple Butter Stirrin’ Festival Review – Coshocton – October 16, 2010

Before Roscoe Village was absorbed by the city of Coshocton, it used to be prosperous port town on the Ohio and Erie Canal. But after businesses started using trains for transportation and the canal was damaged from the flood of 1913, the area became nothing more than a ghost town.

Then, in the 1960’s, Edward and Francis Montgomery got involved.

They established a nonprofit organization to buy and restore the structures, allowing businesses to rent some out while museums and attractions were held in others.

Today, Roscoe Village is a place that both entertains tourists and educates them on area history. It’s where you can enjoy horse-drawn canal rides…

…or even a few festivals.

The Apple Butter Stirrin’ Festival takes place in the heart of Roscoe Village…

…with vendors either forming in the middle of the midway…

…or lining themselves along the sides.

The variety of products at this festival was particularly interesting with items that included…
j

…seasonal and cultural crafts…

…dinnerware…

…and olde timey products…

…not to mention the items found inside Roscoe Village’s businesses.

For those who didn’t care to shop…
j

…there were musical groups…

…a children’s activity area…

…and a nice assortment of food vendors.

I got ham and bean soup with a piece of corn bread at the bottom.

Of course, among the food, there was a station in the middle where they stirred the apple butter…
j

…although they were putting things away and letting it cool by the time I arrived.

Fortunately, there was still plenty to taste…

…and even more to take home.

But if apple butter wasn’t your thing, they also had…
j

…apple dumplings and apple fritters…

…the latter consisting of apple chunks in a crispy batter all covered in sugar.

Absolutely delicious…

…just as Johnny Appleseed intended!

j