Apples. They’re not just for pies, applesauce, and butter anymore. Now they’re found in caramel apple bars, apple buttermilk bread, apple kugel, apple-cabbage ravioli with thyme, apple mulligatawny, and a whole lot more. To get you started, you’re invited to the Third Annual Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community AppleFest from 1–5 p.m. on September 25. It’s a free and family-friendly event during the height of the apple season which usually runs from late August to late September.

The Eco-Community—located near Gerton on Rte. 74E southeast of Asheville—“found” its ten-acre orchard under a jungle of overgrowth several years ago. With the help of friends and volunteers, the land was cleared revealing 115 trees of ten different varieties including Golden and Red Delicious, Stamen and Turley Winesap, Lodi, and White Russian.

“We started AppleFest as a way of giving the apples something to do,” says John Myers cofounder of Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community. “First, we invite members of the larger community to harvest. Then the gleaners come and gather apples to the food banks. Finally, people come and pick up the ground apples for their animals. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

This year’s AppleFest includes music, cider making, kids’ events, and samplings of various apple goodies by Jack’s Catering of Asheville. People are encouraged to bring their own containers to take the apples home.

For more information and directions to AppleFest, visit hickorynutforest.com or call John Myers at 828.712.4926.