Haus Kraut Fest in Canfield offers food, entertainment, nostalgia

By Sean Barron

Lots of polka and other music filled the cider mill during the two-day event.

CANFIELD — Bowling was on Megan Cim- perman’s plate, but not in the conventional sense.

Instead of the traditional 10 pins and 14- or 15-pound ball, her equipment consisted of 10 cider jugs arranged in a triangle and a head of cabbage to knock them down.

“I also look forward to the music,” said Megan, referring to her reasons for coming to the ninth annual Haus Kraut Fest at the Haus Cider Mill, 6742 W. Calla Road.

Megan came Saturday to the two-day event with her father, Tim, both of Sharon, Pa., who said he’s attended nearly every year.

The festival’s mainstay was, of course, sauerkraut, but it was nearly impossible to go without being drawn to the myriad homemade ethnic foods, including pirogi, applesauce, smoked sausage, kielbasa and hot dogs — all with sauerkraut. A few unusual combinations also were abundant, including liquid sauerkraut “shots” and wraps shaped like cigars stuffed with pastrami and cheese.

People also could sink their teeth into merchandise the cider farm is perhaps best known for: several varieties of apples as well as hot and cold cider, and doughnuts.

If the best-tasting part of the event wasn’t the food, for some people it might have been the entertainment, which featured polka music, waltzes and Slovenian tunes by the Del Sinchak and the Mahoning Valley Button Box Club bands.

All of the talk about sauerkraut and polkas evoked pleasant memories for Tim Cimperman, a photographer whose mother used to make sauerkraut soup with mushrooms and noodles, he said, adding that he has several relatives who play in polka bands.

Charlie Osborn made the one-hour drive from his Middlefield home after hearing that Del Sinchak was to be part of the festivities. While many people danced to the music, Osborn was content to take it all in while holding his 4-year-old granddaughter, Jenna, who enjoyed a pumpkin roll and a balloon that a clown shaped like an animal for her.

“Jenna remembers the balloon and clown from last year,” Osborn said about her favorite parts of the festival.

Autumn is one of the busiest times for the cider mill, so it seemed logical to have such an event at that time, explained Matt and Cheryl Haus, owners.

Making sauerkraut has been in the Haus family for perhaps 50 years — going back to when his father made the food in barrels — so the couple set out do something a bit different from the usual fall festivals, Matt Haus noted, adding that they sell the most during November and December.

“It’s a family tradition out of control,” he said with a chuckle.

The 2008 Kraut Fest also featured a 50/50 raffle, a magic show for children, a cabbage-shredding contest and information about diabetes. Some proceeds went toward the Tri County chapter of the American Diabetes Association, Matt Haus said.

The event continues today.