NEW HAMPTON—Soons Orchards held its annual Columbus Day celebration. The festivities featured outdoor seating areas offering grilled foods, baked goods, pie eating contests, live music by Bill Davis, pumpkins, apples, and hay rides leading out to pumpkin picking patches. Contestants dove into freshly baked pies with hands and faces at the pie eating contest in the afternoon. The top three winners received awards for months of free pies or “Eat Pie” T-shirts, all courtesy of Scotty’s Pies.
Soons Orchards started as Orchard Hill Farm 106 years ago. Families came out to Soons Orchards to celebrate Columbus Day, the fall season, and over 100 years in business.

Music on the lawn at Soons Orchards in New Hampton on Oct. 10, 2016. Colin Fredericson





