He decided several years ago that the land provided space for an apple orchard and decided to pursue the opportunity. Growing up in Audubon, the 1977 Audubon High School graduate had about 56 tillable acres on family land that his parents (Robert and Phyllis Gottenborg of Detroit Lakes) purchased in 1966.

While he gets a unique product to offer, the research facility collects a fee, which provides continuous funding for research and hybrid development. The trees were only offered to growers, he said, adding the relationship between the university and growers is mutually beneficial. Gottenborg learned about a program through the University of Minnesota that was developing delicious hybrid apples that combined popular flavors. A successful test run followed, which gave a green light to the orchard’s inaugural Apple Fest celebration. He also chatted with the original owners to learn about the press. Recently, he had an electrician wire the machine, as it runs off a generator. This past June, a shelter was built over the press. Gottenborg made necessary arrangements and brought the massive, heavy press to its new home last year and placed a tarp over it for the winter. When the land was sold, the family reached out to Gottenborg and said the press was his, but he had to transport it.

At that time, he explained that he would be interested in the fruit press, which had been in operation at the winery the past 60 to 70 years. He enjoyed their Zinfandel wine and continued to visit his new friends during the next several years.Īfter a devastating fire in wine country took the house of Gottenborg’s friends, they decided to sell their land.

Gottenborg met a family that owned a grape orchard in California’s wine country. Friends from California’s wine country provide fruit press

100 apple juice