Appalachian Studies class stirs up some homemade apple butter

On October 21st, Coach Eddie Sharpe's Appalachian Studies class came together to make homemade apple butter on Burton's lawn. The students needed to be at the school at approximately 6 a.m. to help with the work. At seven a.m. the stirring process began. The apple butter was expected to take at least seven hours to make, but it ended up taking ten hours in total.  This class made apple butter in order to learn about their ancestors' work habits and culinary tastes. The students spent roughly two weeks preparing the apples, prior to the day long process which took place on October 21st.

The students prepared eight bushels of  predominantly green apples. The students had to core and peel the apples to get ready to make the apple butter. To speed up the process, they cooked the mashed apples into apple sauce. While on the front lawn of the school, the students stirred the apple butter for 15 minutes each. They canned the apple butter around 4:30 p.m., and put their own labels on the jars. Any student who brought their own jar got a free quart of apple butter.

The students will be selling the apple butter for eight dollars a quart. All the money made from the apple butter will go toward the history department's funding. If anyone is interested in buying a quart of apple butter, please speak to an Appalachian Studies student or Coach Sharpe.

Written by: Tori F. and Michael M.