Orchards, Berry Picking and Apples, Apples, Apples

Fall equals apples to me.

Last week we had this apple pie and this apple dip and apple crisp that you’ll have to ask PhilBillPaul for the recipe for because he made it.

Visiting an apple orchard on a cool, crisp day is one of our favorite family traditions.

When we first moved to Georgia, PhilBillPaul and I would pack up the kids and travel back to the Midwest for my family’s Labor Day weekend family reunion in Indiana and then we would head up to my parents’ house in Northern Illinois to celebrate The Grunter’s birthday.

And go to the apple orchard.

My dad loved to go the orchard with us and it is one of my favorite memories of watching him with my kids there.

I think most everyone in the state of Illinois knows about Edwards Orchard and people drive from many miles away to spend an afternoon at this family-operated orchard in Poplar Grove, Illinois.

It’s where my kids got to pick raspberries.

Berry picking is very serious work.

Roger Leroy is seriously contemplating eating the berry instead of putting in her basket.

Wizzy concentrates on finding the perfect berry.

As you can see, they ate way more than they picked.

Then we brought apples back to Grandma’s and I had packed the fancy-dancy apple peeler/corer/slicer/dicer contraption that Grandma said seemed like a whole lot more work than using a knife.

But a knife is not nearly as much fun and the kids wouldn’t be able to help.

Besides, there is no way I can slice apples as thin as my handy-dandy apple thingy cuts them.

Side note: Thank you for exhibiting self-control and not commenting on how I sliced and diced my photos in my early scrapbooking years. I have since recovered and the family albums no longer suffer my impaired cutting skills.

After eight years and kids getting busy with school and sports, we weren’t able to stay up in Illinois for an extended vacation and to visit the orchard.

I had Edwards Orchard withdrawal and my sister was kind enough to mail doughnuts and caramel corn puffs to me and honey for PhilBillPaul.

I knew we needed to create a new tradition and find an orchard a little closer to home. Thankfully we did. We’ve been back to the Hillcrest Orchard near Ellijay, Georgia many times.

Sunday was a perfect day to take a beautiful drive towards the North Georgia mountains and visit the orchard.

Only two kids could come with us – the other two were working.

The sun was so bright, the picture barely turned out. Scary Baby wanted to test the stockade where they punish apple thieves.

We were thankful that Wizzy and Scary Baby were able to help us eat and drink our body weight in nutritious apple dishes…

We had caramel apples, apple fritters, apple cider and doughnuts.

I can’t believe I didn’t take one single picture of our heavenly apple dishes.

You’ll just have to take my word for it.

Every bite was delightful!

We did make it home with doughnuts and one fritter for the other two kids.

Do you have a favorite Fall family tradition?