Apple Pickin' at Kimmel Orchard

Last Friday in anticipation of the Applejack Festival, a friend and I went with all our kids out to Kimmel Orchard to pick some apples. She always drives by it heading to the Tree Adventure and I had only heard of their wine, so we were both excited to be experiencing it together with the kids. Lukka's favorite fruit is the juicy apple and with the promise that one of his best buds was going to be there he practically did all but drive the car himself in anticipation. Ani, of course, comes along for the ride. Here are the two sweethearts picking "no bug-bite ones" off a low hanging branch of Galas.

For all of you Fall lovers out there I don't need to tell you that Autumn is the time when apples are in season. Apple cider, apple crisp, and my all time favorite--Carmel apples-- are eaten in high quantities at the Mast household during the last few months of the year. I almost can't eat an apple in the summer; weird I know. Here's one view of Kimmel Orchard, rows upon rows of different types of apples. Just to the east of this picture we found a flock of wild (?) turkeys in hopes of eating some fallen ones off the ground...I assume!

We brought home between 10-11 lbs of apples for $11, about 25 apples, half of which are gone. The only maddening thing about the place is the lack of signage for where you can go, and the fact that I had two bags (that they provide) and they both broke because they weren't waxed! Paper bag with wet apples through the bottom = one annoyed mamma. Luckily I had an old canvas bag in the car, but they were pretty stringent on their bags being used. Humph. I was very glad we went and we all had a good time, but be sure to bring a bushel basket or a reusable grocery tote in the car just in case!

Fore more information and driving directions go to their website, and check out all the types of apples grown there during the year. They also have vineyards and plenty of other fruits in the summer...wish I had known that! We'll go back probably once more before the year is out...with canvas bag in hand.

Comments

How To: DIY Sand/Water Table

How To: Build A Sand/Water Table for Under $30 ! Sorry this took me so long to blog, but I had to have a tool list and full instructions before I could do so. A little history on my love for the sand/water table . I love the idea behind tools for tiny hands, i.e. the Montessori Method , and like to have Lukka 'figure things out for himself', even when he is playing. I try to have the most simple and basic toys available for 3 reasons: a) simple toys generally have less parts, which means less of a hassle for me b) simple toys inspire way more creativity and imagination than do 'exact replica' toys c) they are much more aesthetically pleasing to look at, therefore, not making every nook and cranny of our house an eyesore! I know the last reason is just for me, but it's true. Plastic things don't generally last 1/2 as long as wooden or fabric toys, and they are unattractive. For this reason, I started to look for a wooden sand/water table as opposed to a pl...

Home School Activities: Board Games We Love

My children have recently become enthralled in the world of board games. I was never a board game player. Sure, I remember long summer hours (days? it seemed like it..) spent around a Monopoly board, but I was never one to suggest to get out the cards, or a game. As my children have grown and they are now able to do activities with me, I started noticing that they really took to puzzles (when done all together) and the one or two board games I happened to have kept in the storage room. They were always asking to play Candy Land and so I figured I should branch off a bit. Over the course of the last year, I have found GREAT games, even ones that I love to play alongside them. The amount of 'teaching' they have gotten through games is jaw-dropping. Counting, team-playing, math related patterning, are just some of the skills I've watched develop. I asked before Christmas on facebook what my friends and their own kids loved and I was thrilled with the response. We have found ov...

November - December Titles // 2024

a moody December scene at Glen Valley I am just squeaking into the final few days for this post, and I am so glad I had Christmas break to boost a few more books into this somewhat meagre offering for Fall of 2024! What did you read that you loved? No Bootstraps When You're Barefoot by Wes Hall - This was a memoir I read for my bookclub, and although I found the first part very interesting, I read at least 75+ pages of his job (working his way up the 'wall street of Toronto') and I still don't know what he does. This author grew up in Jamaica and honestly his ingenuity, quick learning ability, and resourcefulness helped him achieve amazing things, but it did feel a bit hollow toward the end. I don't think that was the intention, I just didn't overly love it. The Hotel Balzaar by Kate DiCamillo - Again, I will read anything DiCamillo writes and be the first to have it ordered to my library! This lovely, nostalgic, and somewhat dour (at times) little middle...

Our House in the Middle of Our Street

Search This Blog