Mon 18 Aug 2008
Posted by Meg under Attractions , Food , Nature
www.flippin-seaman.com
Maybe it’s just the excessive heat, but this summer has felt longer than most. Nothing against summer, but I’m ready for autumn. Football and fall foliage are some of my favorite things, but I’m especially looking forward to my annual apple-picking trips.
It’s not quite apple season here in Virginia, but farms all across the country are geared up for the start of pick-your-own season. As the crops come in, farms will open their gates to visitors who will come from near and far to pick their favorite fruits fresh off trees and vines. It’s a great excursion for families, groups of friends, and culinary artists looking to get a deal on their jam-making supplies.
I usually make a weekend out of it with friends. We go down to Nelson County, Virginia, to pick apples at my family farm, which is also open to the general public for pick-your-own apple days throughout the season. We then pitch our tents on the farm and spend the night eating apples and drinking spiked cider by the campfire. The next day, the more skilled among us (not me - I’m an eater, not a cook) take their remaining apples home and create delicious things like apple butter and apple pie to share with those of us who wish we were talented enough to make these things ourselves.
www.flippin-seaman.com
Apple season is coming soon, but right now there are blueberries, peaches, and blackberries (in the northern US). Pick-your-own excursions are great fun for kids, and then you can take your load home with you for cooking projects with your family. Then later in the fall will be pumpkin season — get your Halloween jack-o-lanterns direct from the patch.
In addition to having a fun day outdoors with your friends and/or family, you can save a lot of money on fresh produce when you buy directly from a farm. To find a pick-your-own site near you, visit this website. You’ll also find great recipes for what to do with all the fruit you’re going to bring home.
If you find you can’t possibly eat all the goodies you picked (that’s often my problem), be a hero and bring them into your office to share, or have your kids take them to their friends at school.
With the way all of our cities are rapidly morphing into concrete jungles, I think time on a farm is valuable for everyone, but especially kids. A pick-your-own farm trip is a great excuse to get some of your extended family together for some fun on the farm and a celebratory feast.