Monthly Archives: September 2008

It doesn’t exactly feel like fall at the orchard when it’s 80 degrees out and you have to leave your favorite polarfleece vest in the car, but when the honey crisps are ripe they don’t last long, so you promise your vest you’ll come back again when it’s cooler and you head off into the rows of trees with your wagon and your baskets and your helpers and your “lift and twist” picking technique that is at once rusty and familiar.
We did the Fall Harvest thing again this year. Everyone was up early and we got coffee’d and got moving and got lost in the Delano construction and then got to the farm around 9:45. Whoops, they don’t open until 10. But whatever, we killed some time looking at the geese and the chickens and stuff and then at 10 the farmer guy kinda walks down to the end of the driveway and says “Good Morning” and that’s more or less the way that it opens. Very casual. Very nice. Feed some goats, play in the corn bins, go look at the other animals, walk around and soak up the whole orchardfarm vibe, maybe allow yourself to take a moment to be jealous of the people at the megaorchards slamming down fresh hot apple donuts, but whatever, I wanted small and humble and proud and if that doesn’t come with fresh apple donuts than no fresh apple donuts for me. Totally bring me an apple donut if you go, though, kthanks.
After a bit more playing around I couldn’t stand it anymore so I headed over to the u-pick hut and started scouting the picking agenda. And then like 2 minutes later I got even more antsy and declared that it was time to make our way into the trees. And it was good. And we picked and ate and I totally climbed up to get the best apples even though I’m pretty sure the first rule on the sheet is “absolutely no climbing” but seriously if I wasn’t so short I wouldn’t have to climb so it wasn’t so much “rule breaking” as it was “creating equal opportunities”. Two overflowing peck baskets later I was only 10% done, but yeah, that was probably enough for now so some more wandering and picking and oh look they have apples in the AppleHaus, too, and popcorn and lovely jams and honey and did I say apples? And suddenly I’m needing carry-out assistance and I’m worried that the 12 quart jars I had waiting for sauce at home weren’t going to be enough. I guess we’ll find out during tomorrow night’s saucetacular.
So that’s the orchard trip. In a couple weeks it’ll be time for pumpkin patching. My vest is already excited.
Fall Harvest Orchard [fallharvestorchard]
2007 visit [doodledee]

I was sitting there in a comfortable chair
And that was all that I needed
Then my friend offered me hummus for us to share
And that was all that I needed
Well, then I felt at ease
But then I’m not too hard to please
And that’s when I saw Dino
This is from Greek Fest a weekend or two ago. We talked about hummus wraps and how much I like them and he kinda looked at me like I was a little crazy but that’s cool, I totally am a little crazy. I asked if I could get a kiss on the cheek, I wouldn’t wash it for a week, it would be all that I needed. I’m honestly not sure if he thought I was joking or what. Neither am I.
Dino’s Gyros [dinosgryos]