Sweet aromas wafting through Springville as pies hit ovens

SPRINGVILLE — For the past five days, the aroma of apples and spices has been drifting through the air near the Springville Memorial Building.

That’s to be expected as members of the Springville Mountain Lions Club and Springville Community Club once again join forces in a massive pie-baking operation for the upcoming 28th annual Springville Apple Festival on Oct. 18 and 19 in Springville.

“We’ve been doing it forever,” said Jerry McCleary of the Springville Mountain Lions Club. “Perry Patterson, Norm Gray and myself — we’ve been here longer than anyone. The ladies needed some guys in the kitchen. They do all of the work, we just learned the proper temperature and the proper timing.”

But there is much more to it than that, pie chairwoman Sandy Whaling said.

“The men get them in the oven and turn them and take them out,” Whaling said. “The ovens are old so half way through, they have to take the top pies and place them on the bottom, and turn the pies around — there’s a lot of rotating that needs to be done and they pay a lot of attention to make sure they all bake evenly. It really is a big deal and all of the pies come out looking great.”

In the main room, several women worked assembly-line style, doing everything from making the dough to placing the finishing touches on the unbaked pies.

Heavy plastic sheeting transformed the stage into an impromptu counter where the women made the dough and rolled out the pie crusts.

Three tables were also utilized — one for placing the apple slices into the pie, one for adding the butter and top crust, and a third table just for crimping.

“We call them our crimpers,” Whaling said of the workers. “There is an art to making such a pretty crust.”

None of it would be possible without the volunteers, Whaling said. Two women — Shirley Miller, 83, and Marion Keefe, 80 — have been faithful volunteers year after year.

“I’ve done everything except the crimping,” Miller said.

Miller moved to Springville 17 years ago and has been active in the Springville Community Club ever since.

“When I moved in, I mentioned to my Realtor, Chris Smith, that I had to get into the new community and she said, ‘Have I ever got a club for you.’ That was in August,” Miller said. “I went to my first meeting and by October, I was busy making pies.”

“We have a lemon tree so usually I make lemon meringue pies,” she said. “This is the only time I make the apple pies but I really have been enjoying it.”

Miller said she has loved the town, the view — and the people.

“[The Apple Festival] is a great place to come and enjoy,” she said. “We have so much planned for people to do.”

The men and women of the two clubs have a goal of baking 1,200 pies, 200 more than what their cold room can hold.

“Our cold room only holds 1,000 pies so we noodled around to try to figure out how we can do more and decided that by selling them as we bake them, we can increase our pie sale,” Whaling said. “Also — this is the first year we are using Fuji apples. The apples stay firm and keep their shape.”

The public can enjoy picking pies up through Friday only.

“Then we lock the doors to the cold room. No touching after that,” Whaling said. “On Saturday, [Oct. 18] bright and early, the men will load up the trucks, unload them, and by the time they turn around and get back, we would have sold them all. Usually by Saturday afternoon, the pies will be all sold out.”

Baked pies, unsweetened included, can be purchased through Friday for $10 at the Springville Memorial Building, 35944 Highway 190.

-- Contact Esther Avila at 784-5000, Ext. 1047, or eavila@portervillerecorder.com.