Fall
It’s that time of the year again. Some of us call it autumn and others call it fall. Colleges and universities are back in session, football games are pretty much happening every single weekend and the temperature is creeping it’s way up and down but mostly down the thermometer - all signs that point in the direction of a new season.
I personally, almost always refer to this season that we are in as fall. The term fall as most of us know was inspired by leaves falling off the trees over and over again.
A few fun things about fall is that the name itself dates way back in time to the early 1500s so they say. The season fall/autumn used to be the third season of the year which was called harvest allegedly because the farmers would gather crops and prepare for the winter.
Any-who, I know that a lot of you all have been counting down and waiting for this season all year long. Maybe it’s your favorite season. Maybe it’s not. Falls here so I hope that for the individuals that were talking that talk about hoodie season, flannels season, and oh idk fuzzy sweats have your clothing racks ready to go. Here’s a few tips for staying active in the fall.
Tips For Staying Active In Fall
Raking leaves
Visit a corn mass or haunted house
Walks and bike rides
Pumpkin and apple picking
Fall 5K
Football season (work at the concession stand or work the parking lot)
Avoid sitting while on the computer
5-15 minute stretch during the work day
Learn new dances or tik toks
Mall walks
There's time so no excuses!
The rest of this article will going into my adventure of apple picking and my time at the farm. Keep reading !!!!
Out and About
The farm that I decided to check out was Weber’s Cider Mill Farm. Cider Mill Farm is one of the oldest cider farm that’s continuously used in Maryland. It’s located in Baltimore County and offers a variety of products ranging from seasonal produce, fresh in house baked goodies (i.e., apple cider doughnut, pies, slushies' etc. ), gifts, and even apple picking!
The Bumpy Arrival
Okay, so you’ve parked your car at the farm/orchard and it’s time to check in. Hold up. Pause. Before exiting the car, I highly recommend you pull up your confirmation email or simply take a screenshot because the last you want is to be told to step aside or worst to be asked to head to the back of the line. So let’s avoid all of that by just getting ready. Plus no one likes the person holding up the line let’s be honest!
After waiting in line, you’re ready to pick out the best apples for that pie you intent on making (or homemade apple sauce if you need an easy baking win). Let’s be honest, making a pie can be tricky but if you don’t get it on the first try try again.
Pick Your Poison
Ambrosia? Crimson crisp? Empire? Jonagold? Granny smith? Honey crisp? Now that you’re looking around at all the apple types, what kind of apples are you going to place in your basket?
If you aren’t sure about what to choose, feel free to ask someone at the farm what’s there favorite flavor. If the staff at the farm don't help you out that's okay because some common apple types that were at this farm and I wrote about how you can utilize the applies in various ways. Also, all rows are marked by the name of apple which is extremely helpful.
Apple Types & Usage
Ambrosia: Best used for desserts and/or treats like apple crisps, doughnut, upside down cake or even fritters.
Crimson crisp: are best as a simple snack. But, they can be used for salads and if you’re lucky a sauce. It’s a sweet apple with a slight tart after taste.
Empire: are best for all purposes whether that be a juice, sauce, pies, baking, salads, or even eating fresh. The firm texture and sweet tart definitely balance each other out making it a very good pick for seasonal dishes.
Jonagold: are best when baked in the oven with a bit of cinnamon on top. Also, after taking them out of the oven be sure to put them on top of a French vanilla ice cream cone as a delicious Saturday/Sunday treat.
Granny smith: are best for dessert recipes like cobblers, muffins, and tarts because they hold tart very well. Also, I see this apple option in the grocery store all the time. If you know you know.
Honey crisp: are fantastic eating apples. They also come in handing when baking treats or making some homemade apple sauce.
The Fee
Let’s talk price. The price varies based on the day of the week you go and the time selected.
Typically, the price on the weekdays are going to be tad bit less versus prices on weekends. I personally think the prices are fair and reasonable on the weekends. I paid fourteen bucks ($14) for a 1/2 bag of Pick Your Own (PYO) apples which is about 15-20 apples. A lot of apples if you ask me. I would make the PYO experience fun by dragging your best friends along with you and if your comfortable maybe even split the price of the apples with your friends. I wouldn’t recommend anything more than a 1/2 bag unless you are making lots of fritters, pies, and that sort of thing.
Farm Fun
Do keep in mind that you are on a farm so make the most of it. The farm offers wild flower picking in the same location as the apple picking. It’s about a ten (10) minute drive to get to the other part of the farm that offers the pumpkin patch, gift shop, farmers market, food, desserts, and live music. It‘s definitely worth it.
Some Cider Treats
The best way to end your cider tour is to head over to the main part of Cider Mill Farm and get you an ice cold slushies' and a few apple doughnuts. Both items were very delicious and sweet. I got my fix of apple treats for the season I’d say.
How Bout Them Apples?
What‘s your favorite apple picking tip, apple, recipe, to-do at the moment? Share your adventures and farm stories in the comments below 👇
Helpful Links
Weber’s Cider Mill Farm: http://www.weberscidermillfarm.com/index.php
P.S. I would like to give credit to the graphic design that made the “I’m falling for you picture” and the “money leaves clip art picture”.