This year my friend Jen and I took all the kids to Fruitful Farms to pick apples.  I always wanted to go and this year seemed perfect.  Once we got there the kids were too excited! They even posed for a pic right away (and yes this is when I realized little pea put her shoes on the wrong feet! we fixed that after I got the shot LOL)

We got out bags from the farmer and he took us all on his wagon to show us what was ready to pick and what apples were used for what.

He then took us to the best tree for our first photo op seems like he has done this before he even took the picture so I could be in one! (it was pretty early in the morning as you can see by Maxwell yawning)

Then onto the picking!

Our only rules from Farmer Congrove were to make sure that whatever apples were eaten we put the cores go in the buckets so that hornets don’t go after them from the ground.  He encourages us to eat as many apples as we wanted to try to make sure we liked them…..well Phoebe took that to heart.

Pyper was a little more picky like me (-:

Phoebe and Maxwell had a blast they talked the whole time and compared apples.  They even made a game looking for conjoined apples.

I made the mistake of saying they looked like apple butts and there you go. The Find the Apple Butt Game was born.  I have a feeling it will be around for many years to come (oh gosh).

I tried to get a picture of my peas together and it was difficult Phoebe and Max were attached like an apple butt but I got her to sorta stand still. (it took 8 shots to get Phoebe to look at me!)

Farmer and Mrs. Congrove checked in on us often sometimes picking up children and taking them for quick rides around the orchard.  Phoebe loved it she felt like such a big girl! (apples in hand)

Not to be left out as soon as Mrs. Congrove came around they ALL jumped on! This was not part of the apple picking experience but we were the only ones there; once the farm started filling up with pickers the rides stopped.  But, how great of them to do it for the kids while they could.

I got this picture of Py on my cell phone what a lucky shot!

Eating MORE apples ….

Just remember the rules to avoid hornets making nest in the ground make sure your apple cores go in the bucket!

The signs next to the trees and buckets let us know what variety the apple tree was and if it was good for cooking, eating or both.  They also gave you examples of which apple was just for sauce, pie, jelly etc.  I appreciated that because I am such a novice but really wanted to make lots of apple foods!

We picked just a little more before we had to head out…..

One last ride up to the barn to pay.

We picked a bushel and a peck and grabbed a small bag of honey crisp on our way out, it was very reasonable I spent $26 for all of them.  But the fun we had and the special way the kids were treated made it worth every penny!

Beckie and Thomas Congrove – Owners

http://www.pickyourown.org/OHcolumbus.htm

http://www.ohioapples.com/ohio_apple_orchards_member.php?memberid=21