“Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits.” ~ Samuel Butler
Apple Picking
It might be the epitome of basicness, but friends I love apple picking! It is one of my favorite activities to do in the fall. From strolling through the orchards, with the crisp fall air surrounding me, to hay rides, and sipping hot cider, I absolutely adore it And it almost makes the end of summer more bearable. It is also one of the few times I get to get my Betty Crocker on again and I love making applesauce and apple crisp from scratch. Truly nothings beats the taste of homemade applesauce. (sorry Motts) Last year I even converted my apple crisp recipe to vegan using smart balance instead of butter and it was so yummy!
Averill Farm
This year I went to a new farm I had never been to. Nestled atop a sprawling hill, the views were stunning, and would have been even more so if the foliage had been vibrant. Unfortunately due to the weather the foliage has been lackluster, and there is still a ton of green, but it still didn’t take away from the experience. With the crisp early morning air, it still felt like fall, even if the foliage didn’t look it. Founded in 1746, Averill farm is in its tenth generation of family ownership which is pretty darn impressive. Comprised of 260 acres, it use to be a former dairy farm, but it now specializes in fruit and Christmas trees (you know I love that last part!). They grow dozens of different types of apples, as well as has an assortment of pears that you can pick. They also have a farm stand that sells pies, cider donuts, and even gluten free apple cake!
Our visit
We arrived first thing, which it is a good thing we did, because it got busy! We purchased our apple bags for picking from the farm stand and walked the short distance to the orchard. One of the cool parts about the orchard is, that it is so old. And you can tell. The trees aren’t pristinely lined up, but instead big and full of character which I loved. They have born a lot of apples and it shows. They had a wide range of apples, many of which were still pickable, but what was a pleasant surprise was how many golden delicious trees they had. I had never seen such a huge selection. Usually it is just a handful and I was ecstatic as I love golden delicious!
My little cousin also found the biggest apple I had ever seen. It was as big as her face! After we explored and had picked our way through the orchard trees, stopping to snap picks, eat our weight in delicious apples, as they were incredibly delicious! We went back to the stand for some hot cider, which was also incredibly tasty as they had infused it with spices. I also got an apple cider cake that was delicious! Seriously nothing tasted bad at Averill farms! There are so any apple orchards around the tristate area and while I have had my staples, it was fun to try a different one this year. If you want a more rustic, no frills apple picking experience, but one that has lots of history, lots of apple picking choices, and is super yummy, I recommend going to Averill Farms!
Have you been? Have you been apple picking this year?
