Schools

Sweet Twist of Fate Fueling Ozaukee School Apple Pie Sale

Weather threw a few wrenches into Ozaukee Christian School's annual Apple Pie fundraiser over the past couple years, but this week it took a turn for the good.

The drought that hit Ozaukee County in 2012 left many farmers with little or no produce, sending regular workers elsewhere to pay their bills.

Thus was the case for Nieman Orchard of Cedarburg, which is without many of the usual apple pickers this year in part because some have gone to other orchards since he had no apple crop last year, according to Jennifer Golemba, marketing chairperson for the Ozaukee Christian School Apple Pie event.

Ozaukee Christian School holds an annual Apple Pie sale as a fundraiser for the school, Golemba said, and local orchards have often chipped in β€” including Nieman Orchard.

Last year, though, a group had to drive to Minnesota for apples with a lack of local crop, she said. This year, with not enough pickers employed at Nieman's, Golemba was organizing a group of volunteers to pick the apples needed.

That is, until mother nature switched up the cards again.

Nieman had planned to have his pickers focus on Honey Crisp apples this week, and they were on the verge of being ripe, Golemba said. However, they weren't quite ready β€” so the pickers were able to turn their attention to the Cortland apples, the kind the school needs.

"God caused Honey Crisp apples to ripen a bit more slowly, which allowed Nieman's pickers to work on our apples this week! So, it looks like God took care of us again: the apples were picked just in time to be ready for us, and we don't have to do the picking, afterall," she said.

The school will make 4,000 pies, which requires about 275 bushels, she said. Learn more about the sale or place your order online.


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