A 500-pie bake sale

BY SARA KEDDY

Kings County Register

The trial run was 250 pies the first year, but Harmony Baptist Church bakers are now turning out 500 homemade apple pies in two days. “This is a small community, and the church and the hall is all that’s here,” says volunteer Lynn Coldwell at the October 29 and 30 pie-production event. “We do a traditional supper and strawberry social, but we figure this is the equivalent of about three suppers’ work and income.”

Four years ago, the congregation followed up on a suggestion to make pies as a fundraiser, and “we were ready to try it. “It went well, and word of mouth ordering helps us out.”

The crew takes over the hall for two days: there are plastic tarps on the floor, each of two bins of Cortlands is forklifted to the front door, then carried inside by the pailful. Volunteers peel, core and cut; mix pastry, roll out crusts, fill the pies with fruit and spices, top them, bag them and affix a label. They’re sold uncooked, ready for the oven or freezer.

The group can custom produce as well: no spice, sugar substitute - “We had one person want all his apples left with the peel. “We’ve had 27 people here at one time helping - and not all church people. Some just want to come because they can sit and just get caught up with the community. We bring our lunch, and there’s a fellowship and a gathering to it all.”

And, if one of the pies doesn’t pass muster - an uneven edge, say - there’s warm apple pie for lunch with tea.