Three-year-old Sulien samples an apple slice while his mother, Drew Rightsell, chops up apples for the pies that she and her children plan to deliver to neighbors after Election Day. The family was taking part in Laura Garber's 'American as Apple Pie,' Election Day Pie Making Party.
Homestead Organics Farm's Laura Garber shares a laugh with 3-year-old Sulien while his mother, Drea Rightsell, chops up apples for the pies she and her children made for their neighbors Tuesday in an election day apple pie making party.
As hundreds of thousands of people went to the polls Tuesday following the most contentious presidential campaign in recent memory, a dozen or so came together in Laura Garber’s kitchen with hopes of building something new.
Their plan was simple enough.
They would bake apple pies to give to their neighbors with no strings attached.
It wouldn’t be about Republicans or Democrats. It wouldn’t have anything to do with what kind of flag people had in their front yard or what their signs had to say. Instead, it would be a simple act of kindness that would cross all lines.
“I think apple pie is about as American as you can get,” Garber said. “Of course, we all should be making apple pie for each other right now. We have to start somewhere.”
Garber's nonprofit educational program, Cultivating Connections, hosted an "'American as Apple Pie,' Election Day Pie Making Party" at Homestead Organics Farm in Hamilton on Tuesday. It was open to "anyone who likes pie, has a neighbor, and lives in America."
“I’m hoping this could be a start in finding our way back to each other,” Garber said. “That this could be a way to look beyond those boxes that we’ve placed each other in and begin to look at each other as neighbors. And we can use food as a way to reconnect with each other.”
She mentioned the idea to a friend in California a few days ago. They liked it so much they started their own pie baking brigade. And when they mentioned it to friends of theirs who live in Colorado, the idea caught on there too.
“They are small ripples, but maybe it’s a start,” Garber said.
Garber and her husband, Henry Wuensche, own and operate Hamilton’s Homestead Organics Farm that’s known both as a place to buy organic vegetables and poultry and for Cultivating Connections, with a focus on building community.
In the weeks leading up to Election Day, Garber was struck by how divided this nation had become.
In an opinion piece this week, Garber wrote: “As we adjust to life after the election, it’s important that we remember we are all humans, we are all Americans, and we are all in this together.”
She urged people to practice compassion.
“Treat others how we want to be treated, in every action, deed, word and thought,” she wrote. “It’s time we clasp hands, open our hearts, and create a world that works for everyone.”
On Tuesday, she put those words into action by inviting strangers and friends to share her commercial kitchen to bake apple pies for their neighbors.
Luanne Cathey and Lotte Bowen of Hamilton left Garber’s kitchen with boxes filled with apple pies they had made in a two-hour spree.
Both were beaming when they walked out the door.
“I think it’s a terrific idea,” Cathey said. “Laura and Henry are such generous and beautiful people, and they have this abundance of fruit. I’m going to take these pies around to my friends and neighbors. I don’t plan on turning on the television tonight. I don’t want to get into the anxiety of it all. This was a perfect way to be able to just breathe.”
The 77-year-old Bowen is new to the community and hasn’t had a chance to get to know her neighbors.
“I’ve done a lot of cooking in my former place of living,” Bowen said. “Cooking for the homeless. I got started and didn’t know how to stop. I love this idea. I just barely met my neighbors. I thought if I baked a pie and gave it to them, it might be a good way to say hello.”
Drea Rightsell and her three children showed up right after Bowen and Cathey left.
“This seemed like a good way to take my mind off the election,” Rightsell said. “When I saw that Laura was offering, it seemed the perfect thing to do to focus on making harmonious connections within our community. “
Garber said she received a lot of good feedback from the community.
“People wanted to do it, and the ones who had time were really excited to take part,” she said. “I do think it is a nice way to make today positive.”
“After all, everybody likes apple pie,” Cathey said. “It crosses all the lines.”
“That is the goal,” said Bowen with a smile.
Keep up on the latest in national and local politics as Election 2020 comes into focus.
November 04, 2020 at 07:23AM
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American-as-apple-pie party hopes to cross political lines - Ravalli Republic
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