The State of Hessen is characterised like no other State in Germany by sparse orchards. The bountiful fruit industry with its tall trees provided the population in past times with fresh fruit full of vitamins. As apples were available throughout the region, ‘Apfelwein’ (Hessian cider) became the most popular drink from Hessen. Over the centuries, this has given the countryside a unique appearance.

Hessens sparse orchards are above all an ecological treasure, which offer many wild growing plants and animals a valuable biosphere. And with over a thousand different varieties of plants and animals, these sparse orchards are clearly more diversified when compared to today’s many cultivated fruit plantations.

Much has remained from this rich countryside scene, but great efforts are required to maintain this attractive cultural landscape – most importantly as an attractive holiday destination and for general relaxation. In long time purposes the sparse orchards can only survive if “protection throughout use” becomes the leading philosophy.

Only the demand for high quality juices or for quality ‘Apfelwein’ from local wild fruit can further sustain this valuable biosphere and appealing countryside which is seen in addition as being the unmistakable profile of the ‘Apfelland Hessen’. As maintenance and harvesting of these trees is never guaranteed, just planting new areas of wild fruit cannot alone reach this goal. Only when old varieties are replanted and actively farmed as wild fruit and harvested according to quality criteria can a high quality hand made product such as ‘Apfelwein’ be the end result.

Through sustaining the sparse orchards in this way, the ‘Apfelland Hessen’ will be able to provide a valuable contribution to this European natural and cultural inheritance in the future. And as the ‘Apfelland’, Hessen has a unique positioning with tourists. Furthermore, the ‘Hessischen Wirtshaus Kelterer’, a group of Hessen ‘Apfelwein’ makers with their own sparse orchards and pubs, offer a unique apple culinary campaign through the German National Tourist Board (www.germany-tourism.de). They make perfectly clear through such attractive offers and hence a demand for quality and genuine enjoyment how this unique countryside can be preserved.
There’s no way around sparse orchards in the ‘Apfelland Hessen’.

All pubs of the ‘Hessischen Wirtshaus Kelterer’ offer unique apple dishes and events relating to the ‘Apfelland Hessen’ campaign:

25.04.2008

‘7 auf einen Streich’: 7 courses presented by 7 ‘Apfelwein’ (Hessian cider) makers with 7 ‘Apfelwein’ specialities (1)

15.05.2008

‘Apfelverführung’– the tasting of the new season’s ‘Apfelwein’ 2007 (5)

18.05.2008

wild herbs-weeks (3)

06.06.2008

‘Apfelland Hessen’ visiting - culinary tour through Rhoen and Spessart (4)

august

Barbecue with ‘Apfelwein’ specialities (5)

15.08.2008

‘Pomedy am Herd’ –a contest of two cooks around apple dishes (2)

23.09.2008

cheesebuffet with local specialities like ‘Handkaes- and Kochkaes’ with ‘Apfelwein’ (6)

september

‘Apfelwein’ making celebration with local apple specialities (5)

11.09. – 23.10.2008

every Thursday ‘Apfelwein’ making for the public (2)

19.09. - 19.10.2008

wild fruits and godly lambs: the range of lambs from the Taunus-region (3)

20.09.2008

Odenwaelder potato-weeks (7)

26.09.2008

‘Odenwaelder ApfelHerbst’: start of the ‘Apfelwein’ making season by the ‘Hessischen Wirtshaus Kelterer’ (7)

sept./october

fresh sweet must from the region (6)

03.10.2008

‘Apfelwein’ making celebration with open day: ‘Apfelwein’ making for the public, tours through the cellar and tasty apple specialities (4)

18./19.10.2008

‘Apple and wood’: apple-menu, tours through the sparse orchards and the ‘Kelterei’ (cidery/ciderhouse), wood handcraft (6)

24.10.2008

EUROPOM – ‘Apfelwein’ making-culture of Austria (3)

29.10.2008

Evening with ‘Apfelwein’ at the chimney (2)

The events are taking place at the pubs of the ‘Hessischen Wirtshaus Kelterer’ which are sorted by numbers:

• Gasthof Hainmuehle located at Vogelsberg/Ohm (1)
  www.hainmuehle.de
• hoenschaf-Hotel ’Krone’ located at Ehrenberg-Seiferts (2)
  www.rhoenerlebnis.de
• Landsteiner Muehle located at Weilrod-Landstein (3)
  www.landsteiner-muehle.de
• Schuch’s Restaurant located at Frankfurt-Praunhein (4)
  www.schuchs-restaurant.de
• Zur Buchscheer located at Frankfurt-Sachsenhausen (5)
  www.buchscheer.de
• Odenwald Sternehotel Dornroes’chen located at Hoechst-Annelsbach (6)
  www.dornroeschen-annelsbach.de
• Odenwald Gasthaus ‚Johanns-Stube’ located at Reichelsheim (7)
  www.treuschs-schwanen.com

Please have a look at this Apfelland Flyer (PDF)