MOOSEJAWTODAY.COM — The tradition of apple pie day in Mossbank continued this year in spite of poor growing conditions.
“It is dry here,” said museum spokesperson Cheryiln Nagel. “We've had seven years of drought.”
The drought is reflected in a “terrible’’ yield of apples from the town and district.
“Most of the apples were so small they were used to feed cattle but people still came with apple pies.’’
Nagel said some of the apple trees are getting older and yield less fruit. “Maybe we need to plant some new trees.’’
The apple pie day in always held on the third Wednesday in August, as that is when the apples are ready for picking and baking.
“We get anywhere from 250 to 400 (people) out.’’ The lower numbers usually happen when weather is bad.
Pie and coffee is sold by donation, with proceeds going to the Mossbank and District Museum which features the Ambrosz Blacksmith Shop, house, yard and three other buildings.
It is the only heritage blacksmith shop in Saskatchewan still sitting on the original location.
Apple pie day was moved from the museum to the town hall this year, as the wind would have made sitting in the park benches and eating in the Ambrosz yard inconvenient.
This is the oldest fund-raiser in Mossbank and has kept the museum funded for about 40 years.
“I know my gramma used to bake for apple pie day.”
The fund-raiser started when museum volunteers picked apples from the Ambrosz tree and made pies to sell.
