Smarties, I have a wonder-FALL idea for your weekend plans — Go Apple Picking at Sky Top Orchard!
Sky Top Orchard
Open 7 Days a week, 9am – 6pm
For directions, visit www.skytoporchard.com
There are only a few more weeks left to pick apples. In my opinion, this is the best time to go. Here are my reasons why:
1. The leaves are peaking – the views are spectacular
2. The sun is bright and there is a chill in the air – pull out your boots and cozy up in a sweater, who doesn’t love wearing a fall outfit??
3. Pink ladies are ready for picking (most delicious apple EVER!)
4. It’s a fun family outing – and you can even bring your dog.
5. The Apple Cider Donuts. I can’t say those three words without have my mouth water. DELISH!
6. You can take the most amazing family photos.
7. Support your local farmer.
8. It gets the kids outside. It gets you outside.
9. Load up on apples, there is nothing more delicious than fresh apples in a recipe. Plus, Thanksgiving is right around the corner — think fresh applesauce, apples in a salad, apple pie.
10. Relax, kick back and take a hay ride. It’s the best way to get to see the orchard and the beauty that surrounds it — bonus, kids LOVE it!
Smarty tips that will make your journey stress free…
Smarty-tested. Smarty approved.
1. Make sure your camera’s batteries are charged and there is space on your memory card.
2. The farm is CASH only. Hit the ATM before you start your journey.
3. Pack snacks and water. Lines can be long at times and if you have little ones like me they can seem like eternity.
4. Wear comfortable shoes. I cannot stress this enough. The orchard is big. You will do a lot of walking.
5. The orchard provides a pull cart and baskets to put your apples in. Although they are very handy, after a while they can become cumbersome. Remember until check out, you are in charge of your apples. It’s outside terrain with a heavy load chasing two little ones – NOT FUN! Knowing this, I tried something new. I bought two little baskets from the Target Dollar Spot for my twins to carry and for me, I carried my cross body Anchorpak bag. It was my secret weapon to a stress-free afternoon. Once the twins loaded up their baskets, they would put all their apples in my bag. It made life so much easier. The Anchorpak is designed so efficiently that it never felt heavy as we loaded it with apples. It was so easy to carry and walk around the orchard. Next year, I will be buying the twins their own Anchopak for our apple picking adventure. ***Highly, highly recommend. ***
6. Wear layers. It will feel cold at first, but, you will warm up as you walk around.
7. Try to get to the orchard early for one reason only — THE APPLE CIDER DONUTS. The line can get verrrrrrrrrry long.
8. Check out Sky Top orchard website (http://www.skytoporchard.com) before you leave. They update weather conditions.
9. If you have a specific recipe you are buying apples for make sure you know which kind… the orchard offers several different varieties and not all are in season at the same time.
10. HAVE a wonder-FALL time!
Books that I like to have in the car for the kiddoes to read as we are making our way to Sky Top.
From Apple Trees to Cider, Please! By Felecia Chernesky
Wonderfall by Michael Hall
Leaf Man by Lois Ehlart
My Favorite Apple Recipes
Buttermilk Apple Pound Cake
Cake: 1-1/2 teaspoons of vanilla, 1-1/2 cups sugar, 1-1/2 cups of oil, 3 eggs, 3 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of salt, 3 cups of chopped apple, 1 cup coconut oil, 1 cup of nuts.
1. Blend first 7 ingredients with blender.
2. Stir in apples, coconuts, and nuts
3. Bake in a greased bundt pan for 1 hour and 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until it tests done.
4. Cool, turn out of pan.
5. Punch small holes in top of cake and pour glaze over cake (letting glaze soak in).
Glaze: 1 tablespoon corn syrup, ¾ cup sugar, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ cup buttermilk, 1 stick of butter, 1 teaspoon of vanilla (Boil for 5 minutes)
Apple-Cranberry Waldorf Salad (have to prepare in advance)
Ingredients: 2 cups fresh cranberries, 2 cups of miniature marshmallows, ½ cup of sugar, 2 cups of diced, unpared tart apples, 1 cup of seedless green grapes, ½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts, ¼ teaspoon of salt, 1 cup of whipping cream, whipped.
1. Chop cranberries in a food processor so that they are in fairly small pieces, but NOT mushy.
2. Combine sugar and marshmallows – cover and chill overnight.
3. Up to six hours before serving, add apples, grapes, nuts and salt to cranberry mixture.
4. Fold in whipped cream and chill thoroughly.
5. Serve in a large bowl or individual lettuce cups.
Serves 8.
