Fairmont Sentinel
Saturday, August 21, 1999 
http://fairmontsentinel.com/news/stories/082199a.html

                  Couple continue returning to
                  fair where they started

                  By BILL CAHALAN

                  Sentinel Staff Writer

                  FAIRMONT -- Serving plates of apple wedges coated with
                  homemade caramel sauce, whipped cream, nuts and cherries is a
                  sweet treat at the Martin County Fair served by Richard and
                  Darlene Tiedeken.

                  The Madelia natives started their Queens Apples vendor business
                  six years ago at the Martin County Fair. The couple have since
                  operated their business at a number of county fairs, festivals, art
                  shows and other events in the Midwest and Southeast United
                  States.

                  They are retired and stay in their home state of Florida for much
                  of the year. However, they spend much of the summer in the
                  Midwest operating their food stand while getting away from
                  Florida's intense heat and humidity.

                  Some sites include festivals in the Twin Cities this summer. After
                  operating Queens Apples at the Martin County Fair for six days,
                  the couple will stay in their hometown of Madelia next week.
                  Then they will travel to Indiana to work throughout September at
                  other events. One auction in Auburn, Ind., for example, is
                  expected to draw about 300,000 people.

                  The Tiedekens operate Queens Apples through most of the year,
                  except for December and January. They take their business to
                  events in Florida and other southeastern states during the winter
                  and spring months.

                  Darlene Tiedeken says the six-day Martin County Fair is one of
                  the longest stints they have during the year. Their
                  121Ž2-hour business days have them starting work 10 in
                  the morning and closing at 10:30 at night. She says the fair here is
                  one of their favorite business sites.

                  "We started our business at this fair six years ago," she said. "It
                  was close to our home in Madelia. The people at this fair have
                  been very supportive of our business and the fair board has been
                  very good to us over the years. People at this fair are quite
                  friendly. We enjoy coming here every summer."

                  A key to the stand's popularity is the homemade caramel sauce
                  made at an apple orchard. The sauce, made from butter and
                  sweet cream, is placed on a plate with eight apple wedges. The
                  wedges are created from chilled apples that are put through a
                  slicer that removes the apple core.

                  The equipment and caramel sauce are registered properties of an
                  apple orchard business that the Tiedekens purchased from the
                  orchard owners. The business agreement requires them to
                  purchase that sauce and use that equipment in their operation.