Cradle to the Gravenstein: A history of the Gravenstein Apple Fair

Thought to be one of the best-tasting apples for eating raw or baking, Gravensteins are usually ready for picking in July or August, earlier than most apples. Hence, we celebrate the Gravenstein Apple Fair this weekend, Aug. 8 and 9.

Founded as the Sebastopol Gravenstein Apple Show by the Sebastopol Apple Growers Union, the Gravenstein Apple Fair manages to merge apple industry history with current DIY updates to create possibly the best food festival in the North Bay.

Gravenstein?apple history

Mitchell Gilliam and his son-in-law, Isaac Sullivan, arrived in what is now Graton, known then as Green Valley, in the 1850s and planted a 150-tree apple orchard with stock they bought in Petaluma for $1.50 per tree.

After the trees began to yield apples, the pair sold fruit door-to-door in a horse-drawn wagon. Soon others with large lots planted apple trees as well, leading Sebastopol to a national reputation for its apples, newly referred to as “The Gold Ridge” by Mary B. Williams, who owned the Analy Standard newspaper.

Nathaniel Griffith, called “Grandfather of the Gravenstein” locally, planted his orchard in 1883 off Laguna Road and worked with renowned plant breeder and grafter Luther Burbank to develop the Gravenstein, although several other people, and even countries, claim its origin. In fact, Denmark calls it as a “native” discovered in 1669 in Grasten in South Jutland. In 2005 Denmark’s Food Minister, Hans Christian Schmidt, proclaimed the Gravenstein to be the “national apple.”

Like many of the immigrant farmers in the area, enterprising Swedes John and Neta Hallberg settled on 40 acres near Sebastopol, planted apple trees, and built one of the first apple dryers in California, which burned down in 1905.

In fact, all but 15 of the estimated 101 local dryers eventually burned to the ground. Apparently this was not an exact science.

Even though the Gravenstein made its way onto Slow Food’s Arch of Extinction, largely due to replacement of apple orchards with vineyards, and the subsequent closure of apple processing plants, young farmers are planting lots of apples again. We even planted one in every Sonoma public school garden, thanks to Steve Page of Sonoma Raceway, NASCAR, UPS and the American Arbor Society.

This weekend’s 2015 Gravenstein Apple Fair on Saturday and Sunday Aug. 8 and 9 brings this great Sonoma County food to Sebastopol’s Ragle Ranch Park in Sebastopol. There will be lots of parking, heat and dust, but it’s well worth it all.

Our consistent favorites include the old-time farmers and their old-time apple harvesting and other farm equipment, complete with demonstrations and crusty old stories.

Since this is a festival about food, there is lots of food, and since it is specifically about Gravenstein apples, there are lots of them. Apples come in pies, by-the-pound in bags, in drinks and ice cream, and even in reproduction apple-crate labels.

New this year

Anyone who likes cheese or might like cheese will want to visit the new Artisan Cheese Lounge. Shelley Bice Mills of Redwood Hill Farm chairs the Lounge on the fair’s Apple Core Committee.

Check out the new DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Arena, sponsored by Harmony Farm Supply & Nursery where you can learn all about “felting,” the history of Sonoma County’s “Fibershed,” Rainwater Harvesting (which could be handy if it ever rains again), making and bottling homemade brews, and the equipment to make fermented vegetables and kalchi, which is like kimchi. Learn too how to make sourdough bread and pickle produce and herbal medicines; and hear an all-important talk on soil amending and gardening in a drought.

There are loads of other vendors, farmers and demonstrations, including a puppet show, cow milking, cowboy storytelling, sheep shearing, beekeeping, backyard chickens, and a presentation by Clark Wolf and friends on “Heirlooms and Heritage.” 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. Tickets: Adults 13 and over $15, adults who bike to fair $10, seniors and veterans $12, kids 6 to 12 $10, kids 5 and under free. More information at gravensteinapplefair.com.