Apples to Apples

This year we drove out to Monnin’s Fruit Farm, just north of Dayton, to pick our apples.  It was the opening day for their apple picking season, we got there early in the day and hoped to have our pick of the best apples.  Aside from me fighting a cold it was a wonderful day and we were not disappointed.  The Jonathan and MacIntosh apples were beautiful and plentiful. 

After an hour drive with several hours of “work” ahead of us we decided to begin with a picnic snack out in the orchard.  We bought freshly pressed cider at the farm and got out our cups and homemade spice doughnuts to enjoy.

Then we got down to work and spent about an hour and a half among the trees.  Rick reached the higher up ones, Nathan found plenty down low he could reach and we were all careful of the poison ivy… it is everywhere under the trees and it doesn’t matter which farm we visit.

We went up and down rows, more for chasing the two year old at times than the need to find a fuller tree.  We almost had the whole orchard to ourselves.

As well as picking apples, Nathan found plenty of yellow buttercups and dandelions to sweetly bring to me and some large bugs like the giant dragonfly camouflaged in the middle picture.

Kaitlyn was tired from all her work.  She found plenty of places to rest but always stayed nearby keeping us company.

Lindsay did a great job running after Nathan.  There were sooooo many yellow and white butterflies to run after; Nathan was all over that orchard darting after their pretty wings.

Lindsay gave him piggy back rides, too, which he loved, and the four younger ones generally had a really good time just being together and helping keep each other entertained.  Haley kept more to the task of picking… obviously some of the children needed help to fill their half-bushel bags, after all.

Tristan and Kaitlyn found sticks to carry around, of course.  Lindsay poses with one of her beautiful apples, one of the finalists into our bag.

Nathan helps to push a heavy load in the wagon while other bags are being carried back to the van.  We picked 3 bushels of Jonathan apples and one half bushel of MacIntosh apples.  We have plenty of uses for this many apples and there will plenty of fresh ones to eat for the next few weeks.  Many of these will become apple sauce next weekend.

Nothing beats an apple right off the tree… delicious!  There is also something fulfilling about doing this kind of “work”.   I love the family time it gives us as we get back to basics and in touch with the changing seasons of our climate, realizing that time is passing.  Some of my favorite childhood memories involve going to an apple orchard in the autumn bundled in deep pocketed sweaters, finding big wooly bear caterpillars and climbing those apple trees handing down apples to my parents or my grandparents.  Often we headed to a park for a picnic of sandwiches, homemade pickles and cookies, and I remember long hikes through the autumn woods with my Dad.  Simple days can create lifelong memories and for me, apple picking conjures up happy childhood times.  I hope my own children will look back on these times and remember these days with fondness too.