Fall Has Arrived... Time to go Apple Picking!

As much as I love summer, there is something about fall that gets me excited every year. The crisp cool air, the smell of apples everywhere, pumpkin spiced lattes and of course... stocking hats!! [Baby E already has a minimum of 10 hats already and don't think I'm stopping there.] There are also lots of fun activities to do in the fall before the blustery Minnesota winter hits and everyone hibernates inside like bears.

Probably my favorite fall activity is apple picking. It is so much fun being able to go out on a nice sunny fall day with a big barrel and pick your own apples. There are so many apples to choose--apples for baking, for crunching, sweet apples and tart apples--I love them all! A lot of apple orchards also tend to have other fun activities like hay rides, corn mazes, pumpkin patches, barns full of warm apple cider, apple butter, jams and everything else you can think of apple.



Since this is Baby E's first fall, I am really excited to start him in on our little tradition. I know he will love grabbing at the trees [he is in that stage where anything is fun to grab at] and he loves eating apples, so I better stock up while they are in their prime.

Every year we normally go to a few orchards in Bayfield, WI where my parents cabin is. This year we aren't going to be able to make it up there in time for apple picking, so it looks like we will be going in the Twin Cities [day trip maybe?!]

I found this awesome website online called PickYourOwn. Where in Minnesota to find pick your own farms and orchards for fruit, vegetables, pumpkins and canning & freezing instructions! This site is great, not just for finding apple orchards, but all sorts of fun berry picking, pumpkin patches, corn mazes and even Christmas trees in the winter.

I wanted to share with you a couple other orchards that I researched:

Aamodts’ Apple Farm [Stillwater, MN]
They have a wide variety of apples [including Honeycrisp, a personal favorite]. They also have some great activities for the little ones like wagon rides, a goat farm, hay bale mazes and even a John Deere tractor farm!

Afton Apple [Hastings, MN]
Here they have apple picking, a pumpkin patch [picking starts the last week in September] hayrides and a 15 acre corn maze-wow!

Emma Krumbee's [Belle Plaine, MN]
Emma Krumbee's was named “Favorite Apple Orchard in Minnesota” by Minnesota Parent Magazine. With the variety of events, kids activities, apple & pumpkin picking, and homemade goodies [found in their restaurant & general store] it is easy to see why they are a favorite. The annual scarecrow festival also sets them apart from the other orchards.

Pine Tree Apple Orchard [White Bear Lake, MN]
You'll find weekend entertainment, pony & wagon rides, a corn maze; along with a large variety of apples and a pumpkin patch. Also Pine Tree has various homemade bakery products, caramel apples, and fresh cider- yum!

Minnetonka Orchards [Minnetrista, MN]
Another orchard with a variety of family activities including: hay rides, walking trails, a corn maze and of course pick your own apples. Also check out their unique calendar of events which includes music, family theme weekends and more!

Do you have a favorite fall tradition or favorite apple orchard that you go to every year?