Apple Pickin'

Last Saturday was a perfect fall day for a family activity that I have wanted to do for some time now: apple picking. From several local orchards we chose one that practices sustainable farming with little or no spraying. This is especially important when there are little ones picking and eating the fruit. After walking out to the orchards, we were a bit disappointed to find many of the varieties rather picked over, and were beginning to think we would go home with empty bags. Then, we found a few trees with apples way out of reach. With a little circus act involving me balancing on Curtis's shoulders, I would pick the apples and hand them to him one at a time, who in turn would hand them to Noah, whose job it was to put (I say put, but it was actually more like throw) them in our bags while Isaac sat nearby, pulling grass and sampling the leaves. Noah kept saying, "Izat apple pickin'?" Yes, Noah, that is apple picking family style!

After making some slow progress, I resorted to just climbing the trees and handing the apples down. Soon our bags were filling up. At one point, Noah, who has recently become very good about using the potty at home independently got his first lesson on going to the bathroom in the great outdoors, proudly announcing "I peed on a tree!"

Before long, our bags were full. We picked 44 lbs of apples! (I should probably leave out the part of the story where Curtis dropped a 22 lb bag of apples on the floor after paying for them. Imagine the gasps from the lady checking us out as well as about 20 other customers waiting in line."You were going to use those for baking, right?" she said.) Just a couple hours after getting them home, I pulled a bubbly apple cobbler out of the oven. The next day we learned how to can, and made 7 quarts of applesauce. We still have about 20 lbs left that are destined to become apple pie filling. I think we could possibly consider canning my newest obsession. It must be true what they say about children eating foods that they otherwise might not if they are able to participate in harvesting them. Before our apple picking excursion, Noah would not eat raw apples. But now, when asked what he would like for lunch, he proudly says, "apple pickin'!"

New Kitchen Tools

While baking an apple pie today I got to use not one, but two fun kitchen tools! The apples were peeled and cored in minutes using the apple peeler/corer I got for Christmas. Then, the crusts were sealed nice and tight with the wooden pie crust crimper made by Dad.

Here is the final product, along with a pie-crust cookie with cinnamon for Noah in the shape of a horse. There was a also rabbit, but we ate him up for lunch. Yum!

We ate such a huge dinner tonight that we have not even cut into it yet. Hmmm...I think it is time for a snack...

Pumpkins

Noah and I enjoyed a visit from Auntie Trisha this weekend while Curtis was (and still is) in Texas on business. Saturday was a beautiful fall day, and the perfect day for a visit to the apple orchard and pumpkin patch. Noah sank his little teeth into an apple while we took a horse-drawn wagon ride through the apple orchard and pumpkin fields.

After our ride, we ventured out into the field to find the perfect pumpkin. Alas, the pumpkins were either partially rotten or very misshapen. However, we did get some very posed pictures of a sleepy Noah before he toppled off the pumpkin into the weeds. He was really more interested in playing in the weeds than posing for pictures anyway. Here is the little farm boy in bib overalls that his Daddy wore when he a little boy.

All was not lost however, because we stopped at another little farm and found lots and lots of nice big pumpkins!

Back at home, while Noah took an overdue and much needed nap, Trisha and I made these adorable pumpkin people.

Thanks again to Trisha for a wonderful visit! I leave you with just one more pumpkin picture...this one of Noah and me from exactly one year ago.

-Jen

Big Black Horse and the Apple Tree

Poor Winston. Due to his chubbiness, he was moved from his lush green pasture with the apple trees and burdock to a dirt pasture where he recieves hay several times a day. There is but one apple tree in a far corner, under which he can often be found patiently and hopefully waiting for a brisk breeze (or me) to rustle the branches enough to dislodge an apple or two. Even more sad is the fact that there are several apple trees just over the fence from his new pasture, where he can smell the sweetness of the many apples that nobody picks.

Well, today I crawled through the fence and waded through the burdock to gather of few of these apples. There were many fallen apples that were sadly beyond saving.

The apples still on the tree looked a lot better from afar and I really could have used a ladder, but I managed to find just over a dozen decent little apples. Winston was happy that I brought a couple over the fence for him as well. To show his appreciation, he gave Noah a little ride, which Noah clearly enjoyed.

Back at home, I was afraid to cut into the apples for fear of what I would find inside.

After spending a good amount of time peeling and coring them, I had a long conversation with Dad about whether or not they were edible. Deciding that they probably were (I only found one little worm...just kidding!), I had an even longer conversation with Mom about how to make a pie. After consulting her 53 year old Betty Crocker Cookbook and adding a few tips of her own, she was able to talk me through the making of the pie, which I am pleased to present...

It turned out! And it tastes pretty good, too! Plus, there were enough apples left for a couple cups of applesauce, which Noah sampled for dinner and seemed to thoroughly enjoy. Sweet success!

-Jen