An annual rite for Middle Child every fall is apple picking. This began when she was in preschool and her class went to an apple orchard. She enjoys reminding me every year now that we HAVE to go apple picking, along with a myriad of other fall activities..........pumpkin patch, gourd shopping, getting cider, buy some fall mums, make spaghetti squash and various pumpkin desserts, Halloween decorating, etc. Also, that the way you pick an apple is to, "Twist and then pull it." Welcome to my world, folks.
As a kid, I remember my parents taking us apple picking one time. We picked so many bags that we had apples rolling all over the back of the car. My brother and I pretended to try to control the damage, but we were really just lobbing the apples at each other. My other memory of that day was the ladders propped against the apple trees. I can't imagine an orchard allowing customers to climb ladders to pick today. That's just a lawsuit waiting to happen.
There are many orchards to choose from here. I like to go to the smaller, less commercial ones just to avoid the crowds. The one we visited this year is a bit strange, if you can say that about an orchard. They offer hay rides, but it's only about a quarter mile walk from the parking lot to the start of the trees, so WHY? The other odd thing are the dirty, old stuffed animals hanging from the trees. They offer some sort of scavenger hunt for scouts and other groups. It's creepy to start picking apples off a tree and then find Barney or Kermit hanging there, like some sort of witch trial victims.
All in all, it was a GREAT year for apples. Tons on the trees, all varieties available, big round apples with few blemishes. I made a caramel apple pie, an apple torte, a cinnamon apple coffee cake, apple crumb bars, and some apple fritters.
As a kid, I remember my parents taking us apple picking one time. We picked so many bags that we had apples rolling all over the back of the car. My brother and I pretended to try to control the damage, but we were really just lobbing the apples at each other. My other memory of that day was the ladders propped against the apple trees. I can't imagine an orchard allowing customers to climb ladders to pick today. That's just a lawsuit waiting to happen.
There are many orchards to choose from here. I like to go to the smaller, less commercial ones just to avoid the crowds. The one we visited this year is a bit strange, if you can say that about an orchard. They offer hay rides, but it's only about a quarter mile walk from the parking lot to the start of the trees, so WHY? The other odd thing are the dirty, old stuffed animals hanging from the trees. They offer some sort of scavenger hunt for scouts and other groups. It's creepy to start picking apples off a tree and then find Barney or Kermit hanging there, like some sort of witch trial victims.
All in all, it was a GREAT year for apples. Tons on the trees, all varieties available, big round apples with few blemishes. I made a caramel apple pie, an apple torte, a cinnamon apple coffee cake, apple crumb bars, and some apple fritters.
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| Granny Smith, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Macintosh, Jonathan |
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| Just some leftover fritters |
We had apple trees in our garden when I was a kid, but they weren't very tasty so we didn't pick many of them, except to use for cooking. As you say, apple-pickers on ladders are probably a rare sight nowadays because of legal paranoia. But how many people actually fell off them, I wonder?
ReplyDeleteNow that you mention it, I remember my parents planting two apple trees in our yard, but I don't think they produced any fruit.
DeleteOMG...I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this post!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great memory you shared from childhood! And it's funny because I'm posting something tomorrow about Halloween!
I've never been apple picking, which is odd, because apples are probably my favorite fruit. But I have been to a pumpkin patch and fall festival and boy, was it ever fun! In fact, I went to one here in PA many years ago in Swarthmore, and I got some great apply cider and baby pumpkins.
" I can't imagine an orchard allowing customers to climb ladders to pick today. That's just a lawsuit waiting to happen."
HA! Exactly!
Hey, those apples you pick look delish! And I love how fresh and natural they are, not like the ones you get in a grocery store.
" I made a caramel apple pie, an apple torte, a cinnamon apple coffee cake, apple crumb bars, and some apple fritters."
YUM-MY! Can you email a few of those fritters if you have any left over by tomorrow? HA!
FUN post, my friend!
X
I can't believe you haven't piicked apples! There have to be plenty of places in eastern PA. The fritters are gone, but I made some pumpkin chocolate chip bars yesterday. Im on a roll!
Deletebarney and kermit as witch trial victims....man, you have the best lines.
ReplyDeleteyou've also made me very hungry.
Glad you enjoyed.......they hang them by their necks with rope, so I just call them like I see them!
DeleteThose apple fritters (even the leftovers) looked delicious. I had to laugh about the stuffed animals hanging from the trees; that would be eiry indeed. I think its a wonderful tradition to go apple picking; we never did with the kids though I think it could have been fun to do. Something to look forward to and plan for and then have the memories from, a good thing indeed!
ReplyDeletebetty
I never think my fritters are as good as the bakery. I'm sure it has to do with the kind of oil you fry them in. We don't have a lot of pick your own produce around here, but apples are plentiful.
DeleteSweet deal, and great memories. We used to go picking most years when I was young, ladders and all. Sorry, no stuffies hanging in the trees. That would been cool!
ReplyDeletePlanting some apple trees was one of the first things we did when we moved here and have always loved having apples of our own, even if they aren't the sprayed and unblemished apples we once picked.
And hey we had donuts and cider from the local cider mill and spaghetti squash last week and bought some mums the week before. We live across the street from the pumpkin farm but I'm sorry to say our gourds did not produce this year and I'm too cheep to pay for 'em! But Fall is great stuff ....
Middle Child would have a great time with you!!!
DeleteI'm afraid the deer would eat all the apples if we planted trees. Always a battle.
Same here but hey, they can only eat the ones they can reach so we share and share alike while using our picking-pole to get those the deer can't reach. Just gotta fence the trees until they're big enough that bunnies can't chew 'em through. There're always mitigations! :-)
DeleteThis sounds like a tasty outing! I havent been apple picking in a few years and I really want to go! Mostly because I love the smell of baking apples! So much fun!
ReplyDeleteFruit in dessert......makes it seem healthy, right?
Deletewe never went apple picking as kids unless it was at the grocery store. my kid usually goes - though i don't. we tried to go together once and the farm was closed. that's my sign. ;) i think we like the cider more than the apples.
ReplyDeletePicking out apples at the store is a form of apple picking, I guess! It made me laugh.
Deletei just had an apple a few minutes ago, that i picked out from the store. ;)
DeleteGreat post, Bijoux! I remember going with my parents to farms in rural New Jersey to buy apples and apple cider. We weren't much for picking but we sure did eat enough of them.
ReplyDelete"It's creepy to start picking apples off a tree and then find Barney or Kermit hanging there, like some sort of witch trial victims."
That is one hilarious--though creepy--description!
I wish I had taken a photo. I always forget they do that there, until I come across one again. It's gross because they are so filthy. Must leave them hanging there year round!
DeleteYummy lookin treats!
ReplyDeleteI do love our occasional fall trips to apple orchards and related fall stuff, corn mazes, punkin patches, and whatnot. I have to say though, we've never encountered the strung-up stuffed animals and I can't say I feel I've missed anything.
Funny story though
Thanks, Logo. Believe it or not, I'm ready for spring!
DeleteHmm... the stuffed animal hanging around is pretty creepy. And odd.
ReplyDeleteBut we love the apple orchards too. The pumpkin farm we go to is actually an apple orchard. It is smaller too and not so commercial. We love it.
I just finished a massive batch of applesauce the other day and it is already gone. Guess it is back to the orchard! ;)
I have never made applesauce because I'd be the only one eating it. Plus, that's a lot of peeling in one sitting!
Deleteit scares me that that apples are kind of like color tv's these days - there are new models coming out all the time - i swear we have a different ones every week and i'm not exaggerating (or am i)
ReplyDeleteYes! Not every week, but it does seem like every year, there's a new one here. I think Honeycrisp is the latest here.
DeleteApple season around here means cider, and canning applesauce.
ReplyDeleteJen will go to an orchard and buy a few bushels of drops, and turn 'em into sauce. We bought a Victorio Strainer many years ago. Eliminates the peeling. . .
And we like to get a couple gallons of the fresh-squeezed, unpasteurized cider from the orchard. Then we crack the tops and let 'em sit until they get, um. . . fizzy. Good stuff, right there.
That's crazy about the unpasteurized.......and the reason I never buy it! Too many sensitive tummies in this house, including mine!
DeleteThat's so cool that you go apple picking! We have some orchards not too far from us and go to pick some fruit but haven't done apples in many years. I just bought some nice Honeycrisp ones in the store though and ate one today on my break at school. :)
ReplyDeleteThey are tasty and low calorie, so a great snack.
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