Apple Picking 10-3-10

One of my favorite fall activities is apple picking. It's not so much that I like apples (they are definitely not my favorite fruit). There is just something about the fresh air, blue sky, and leaves crunching underfoot that is so intrinsically autumn.

Last week, we took a drive out to Melick's Farm in Oldwick, NJ. I have been apple picking here since I was a kid and it's exciting to have introduced this tradition to my own family. Layla was estatic to see the field of pumpkins. Her favorite song lately has been about pumpkins and she has even created her own sign for pumpkin (tapping her head) based on a line from the song:

First you take a pumpkin, big and round and fat

Then you cut the top off, that'll be the hat

Then you hollow out the mouth, the nose, the eyes

Put it in a window for a Halloween surprise!

Her signing has really taken off this month, so I thought it was really cool when she made up her own sign for a word that she didn't know.

We all really enjoyed the hayride. Although the farm was pretty packed (it was a Sunday), there was no more than a 5 minute wait. Layla was intrigued by the tractor, and kept calling it "bus".

Even though she is probably too young to really understand, it was cool showing Layla that apples grow on trees (I know many children who when asked where food comes from, reply, "the store") and letting her pick her very own apples.

Afterwards, we took a break to play on the playground. In addition to the apples, we bought a mini pumpkin, blueberry preserves, pumpkin butter, apple cider, and apple cider donuts. I usually buy apple butter and Triple Crown preserves (Cherry, Raspberry and Strawberry), but I wanted to try something new. I love using their preserves when I make baked brie, which is one of my favorite fall recipes. We didn't get a chance to go to the Tewksbury Inn, a fantastic place to grab lunch and a drink, but I plan on going back before the season is over. What a beautiful day!