Well, we got a good start on my to-enjoy list for fall—right after I hit “publish” on my last post, I looked up the info on the closest you-pick apple orchard and found that it opened that very same day! Since mine and Matt’s Saturday didn’t have anything else set in stone, we packed ourselves up in our Buick and drove off to Paradise (literally, that’s the name of it) to the cutest darn orchard you ever did see.
Welcome to Paradise Valley Orchard, an organic farm that boasts 23 varieties of apples and the best homemade cider I think I’ve ever had. We were helped right away by one of the staff, who pointed out which varieties were already ripe and then turned us loose with a bucket apiece.
I’d never been to a you-pick place before, but Matt and I have already decided to go back again and again. Not only was it the most sun-drenched, breezy autumn day, but as soon as we sunk our teeth into the first dusky, crisp apple, we knew we were going to have to return, and stat (especially when the Red Delicious comes into its own come November). Oh, and the best part? Each pound of apples costs only $1.50.
Yeah, if you’re at all in the area, you need to check it out.
It’s been awhile since I’ve done anything outside of work, laundry, cooking, and sleeping (hence the lack of exciting blog posts), so it was refreshing (to say the least) to yank myself out of my routine and get myself out into the beauties of the outside world. It made me even more motivated to check some more items off my fall to-enjoy list.
Now, if you’ll excuse me–I need to go sink my teeth into one of those round orbs of deliciousness that tastes like a perfect blend of summer rains, heavy sunshine, and that fine dust that only seems to coat home-grown apples.
Happy fall, everyone!
