Even though the weather’s been cooling down for a few weeks and the leaves have already started changing, it’s hard to believe that this past weekend marked the first of the fall season. To me, fall means hay rides, pumpkins, scarecrows, and sunny afternoons. Well, the pumpkins aren’t quite ready around here yet, but it sure is a perfect time for apples. In Virginia, all the good apples seem to be somewhere else (like North Carolina), so it’s kind of cool being a little closer to so many farms up here. So, that’s what we set out to do on Sunday–apple picking at Long’s orchard.
Like several other farms around here, Long’s is known for its apples and cider mill, along with other money-making crops. You can buy bagged apples in the on-site store, but what fun is that when you can ride out on a tractor and pick some yourself? Not to mention–fun comes in numbers, so we met up with a bunch of fellow VT-turned-GM friends. Let me introduce you (Brad snapped a few pictures against their will, so I’ll be nice and keep the photos kind of small):
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| (Left to right): Mike, Corey, Renee, Lynn, and Brian |
I wasn’t paying attention at the time, but I have it on good authority that Brad got punched in the stomach after taking one of those pictures.
We decided to pool all our apples in the same bag–a half bushel is a lot more than it looks.
Hay Ride!
After watching Brad stuff a bunch of random apples in the bag, I told him he’d better try one to make sure he liked them.
He tried one. Didn’t like it.
So, he started putting them back in the tree.
(Not kidding.)
After apple picking, we went across the street to get some cider and donuts. Check out all the stuff hanging from the ceiling of the . . . cider place . . .
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| MMMM. |
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| There was also a giant rocking chair! Brian took like 10 shots of this same pose before we realized that he was totally taking advantage of our camera. It’s okay, though . . . I think I like the candids better, anyway. |
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| Goats. They’re cute, but can’t be trusted. |
Renee, moments before her hand got head-butted
Annnnd . . . the corn maze. We only got lost a couple times. For a little while.
Feeling victorious after conquering the field, we ended the day over in the play area.
And what can I say? Boys will be boys.
The only thing that could’ve made a better ending to the day would have been jumping on a giant, air-filled pumpkin bounce, which we may or may not have actually done. The guy in charge might have made several kids get off so we could take over, and I might have fallen down about eight times. But there are no photos, so it must not have happened.
I hope you’re enjoying the beginning of fall, too. 🙂
