Apple Orchard

We love to go to the apple orchard every year. This year looked like it was not going to happen. We have been so busy and the weather simply would not cooperate! We finished all of our school for the day and Libby had a great nap, I had already laid Ruby down for her nap when we decided it was a perfect afternoon for the apple farm! I talked Syndi out of doing her afternoon school (I didn't have to work too hard at it), and I woke Ruby up from her nap. We have been the past few years and last year we paid for a great tour but decided we could do the self guided tour this year. They are currently packing Honey Crisp Apples, my ABSOLUTE favorite! Don't they look delicious? I have a few to myself that I am hoarding.

We began by tasting 8 of the 16 varieties they grow on the farm. Amazingly, the children's favorite apple was the Jonagold. Even Liberty had a taste and seemed to really enjoy them. They also make a delicious chocolate peanut butter stick, we reserved that just for the moms.

We toured the sorting, packing, cider making, dehydrated apples, apple pie making and finally the orchard!

Ben is such a good friend to all of my children. Ian was trying to trick us that he was Ben and Ben was Ian, because they traded hats. I don't know you have to look pretty close to tell who is who? Ian with the blond hair and green eyes, and Ben with dark hair and dark eyes.

The best part of the whole thing is taking the golf carts out into the orchard! We drove around and around and around and found this handsome fellow out for a tour as well. This is the only kind of man I want putting his arm around Taylor until she is married.

Best sisters, best friends

Ruby was thrilled that they provided blankets to snuggle in during the tour. Erik sat up front by me and I let him work the 'gas' pedal. He was so excited and had it floored the whole time. We went through an area of the orchard that Aaron nicknamed 'Mole Road'. Erik was whooping and hollering for me to decimate every mole hole that was there. I think we almost succeeded! I had a blast just having fun with the children. The orchard (because of liability) does not want children to drive the carts. I did however, let Aaron and Taylor take turns steering and working the pedals. I was behind the wheel and they were reaching across me!

At one point Aaron was trying to get us to go faster than Syndi's cart and was pushing us along Fred Flinstone style. One of my other boys thought that was a grand idea and decided to try as well. He fell out of the cart! Good thing the carts don't go too fast and the ground is soft!

It was the perfect way to spend a perfect fall afternoon.