Sunday Morning In The Orchard

 

Today's weather was so perfectly autumn (even though autumn is still a few days away) that we decided to skip church and head to the orchard! xo 

In The Apple Orchard

This past Friday was an absolutely perfect crisp October day. The kind of day that just requires you to head to the apple orchard for a bit of apple picking (and for some cider doughnuts -for those not competing, of course). For the last several years we have gone to this lovely orchard in Lancaster. It's always quiet, not overrun with field trips and the owners are super nice! With the exception of one field trip we had the place to ourselves. The girls quickly filled their bags with apples and then we journied back down to aquire some of the aforementioned cider doughnuts (which smelled SO good)! It was truly the perfect way to spend a glorious October morning! xo 

In The Apple Orchard

Since it was finally on the cooler/more autumnal side Tuesday morning we decided to eat a quick breakfast and head to George Hill Orchards to do some apple picking. We had been waiting for the weather to be more seasonal so that we could go (as it just doesn't feel right to us to pick apples in anything other than cozy clothes). We arrived  and other than one small preschool group we basically had the place to ourselves! It was divine! We made our way over to the Cortland section and in no time at all the girls had filled their bags. With filled bags of apples and a bag of cider donuts we made our way back home, with plans to return some time next week to pick some more apples for the express purpose of canning applesauce! Happy autumn, friends! xo

Late Season Apple Picking

 Friday evening a got a text from our neighbor Erica letting me know that Honey Pot Hill Orchard was going to be holding free apple picking this weekend as a way to thank the community for their love and support over the years (especially this year when there was a hail storm and heat for the apple crop to contend with). With how lovely the weather has been, and with being in need of apples for the week, we scooted over to the orchard  yesterday after we completed our Scouting for Food route.

We arrived expecting the orchard to be rather crowded, and were pleasantly surprised to discover that was not the case at all. We made our way to the apple trees and quickly filled our two bags. With our now full bags we made our way back to the car to drop them off before stopping into the orchard store for some apple cider and a bag of some of the best cider donuts around (and they were still warm, too)! We munched on our donuts, paid the resident animals a visit and then returned to our car to head home with full hearts and bags and bellies. What an absolutely lovely way to spend the first part of our Saturday. xo

In The Apple Orchard

Yellow the bracken,
Golden the sheaves,
Rosy the apple,
Crimson the leaves.
Mist on the hillside,
Clouds grey and white,
Autumn good morning,
Summer good night!
-Traditional Waldorf verse

We wish each of you a very sweet and very lovely Autumn! xo