February 2025 - 9

GREAT LAKES EXPO
Plotkowski, Southeast Michigan
fruit Extension educator at Michigan
State University's Tollgate Farm and
Education Center in Novi, Michigan.
Plotowski said this year's contest
saw a number of new entries or
entries from cider makers who
hadn't participated in recent years.
" Everybody was pleased with
the quality of the ciders that we
had, " Plotowski said. " It was really
exciting for us to have a new winner.
Farmer White's has been quietly
climbing up the rankings. Who
knows what comes next? And we
have a second place that has won
before. It's always good to see
people who show consistency in the
cider that they're putting forward. "
Klein Cider Mill won first in 2018
and third in 2014, while Apple Barrel
Cider placed second in 2016.
Mary and Vincent Cooper are the
owners of Farmer White's. Located
in northern Michigan northwest of
Traverse City, Farmer White's is a
third-generation business that has
been growing and selling cider as
well as apples, peaches, cherries,
blueberries, pumpkins, and jams
and jellies since 1958.
A panel of nine judges, including
two new ones from Michigan apple
farms, evaluated cider entries
over three rounds with a bonus
tiebreaker round.
" I know the cider makers
are very proud to display
their awards and are able
to tell their customers
that theirs is the best
in Michigan or some of
the best in Michigan, "
Plotowski said. " We
have people who enter
every single year. "
The Michigan Apple
Cider Contest began
in 1997. Contest
creator Bob
Tritten, who
retired in 2023,
developed the contest as a way to
help improve cider making, promote
the industry and educate the public.
" The annual cider contest is a great
way for cider makers to connect and
learn from one another, " Diane Smith,
executive director of the Michigan
Apple Committee (MAC), said in a
news release. " Cider makers put
in a lot of hard work to make their
delicious cider, whether it be growing
their own apples or changing up their
recipe to make the best cider. "
MAC, Michigan State
Horticultural Society and the
Fruit Growers News sponsor the
annual event.
Based in Lansing, Michigan,
the MAC is a grower-funded
nonprofit organization devoted
to marketing, education
and research activities to
distinguish the Michigan
apple and encourage its
consumption in Michigan
and around the world.
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February 2025

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2025
