One of MidFex’s longest traditions and only fund-raising event is our fall Harvest Festival. We put on a terrific show the 3rd weekend in October at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Highlights include displaying nearly 100 different apple varieties that are grown by our members in their own back yard. Many other types of fruit grown by members are also exhibited including European and Asian Pears, Quince, Hardy Kiwis, Pawpaw, Figs, Plums, and Persimmons
We feature tasting and sales of 10-15 different varieties of fantastically flavorful apples that you can’t find in your grocery store. However, we are the local resource to assist you in growing any one of these varieties or 100’s of others in your own yard. Apple varieties at past Harvest Festivals include some classics like Ashmeads Kernel, Rubinette, Ross Nonpareil, Mutsu, and Northern Spy as well as some great newer varieties like Crismson Crisp, Pixie Crunch, Plum Delicious, GoldRush, and Razor Russet
In addition to apple sampling, we offer award-winning apple cider for sale from local orchards. A side exhibit during the show includes a live demonstration of operating an old-fashioned cider press. This generates a continuous crowd waiting to sample the delicious fresh-pressed cider. In the past we have served over 3,000 free samples!
Other delicious fruit treats for tasting and purchase include various fruit butters and syrup. Apple, peach, apricot, pear, and plum butter along with apple syrup (apple cider slowly cooked down to concentrate the flavor and thicken it) are typically available.
When members have extra pawpaws, they will share them at the Harvest Festival where we cut up and give out as samples. This provides many who visited their first opportunity to taste this unusual and easily grown fruit. Their responses to the taste and texture of pawpaw fruit will ran the gamut, but most often tasters were surprised and mentioned the unusual flavor and custard-like smooth texture. They likened the flavor to vanilla, mango, and banana.
There is always a lot to see. We have a demonstration of apple dehydrating, with samples being given out. American persimmons and Asian pears will be on display and available for tasting, as well as black walnuts and wild hazelnuts. MidFEx volunteers are always on hand to answer many gardening-related questions.
As an educational resource about local fruit growing, we offer non-edible fruit related items for sale including some very informative books on home based fruit growing, espalier pruning, as well as a hand-cranked apple peeler/corer/slicer machines.
