Pohick Church’s Apple Butter Gang rides again this weekend

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One of historic Pohick Church’s most popular traditions — apple butter making weekend — starts today as parishioners prepare for its sale at their annual country fair.

This past week, a group of church members made the yearly pilgrimage to Hollabaugh Bros. in Biglerville, Pennsylvania to pick around 50 bushels of Summer Rambo apples. Known for their crispness and tartness, the apples originate from France and first arrived in Colonial America in 1767. Over the next few days, volunteers at Pohick Church will set up 40-gallon copper kettles under a large tarp, make approximately 200 gallons of apple sauce, cook it down to apple butter over a 12-hour period, then begin the canning process.

Pohick’s Apple Butter Gang is actively recruiting community volunteers — including families — to help with the daily activities, which are described here. “The Apple Butter Gang” video provides more history and information on the event.

When all is said and done, between 1,300 and 1,500 pint-size jars of apple butter will be canned this and next weekend, and most of them will be available for sale at the church’s country fair on Saturday, September 29 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The fair — an annual event since 1944 — is open to the general public and features the music of the Pohick Pickers and the Ken Smith Band, a roasted pork barbecue lunch, car show, turkey shoot, Velcro wall, moon bounce, pony rides, games, and vendor and community information booths.

Visitors who opt to take a guided tour of the church — which was the congregation of the Washington, Mason and Fairfax families — can access the building via the newly restored southwest stone steps. The church recently put in a foundation to avoid sinkage of the stairs and installed new stones.