Apple Picking with Kids

One of my favorite things to do with my kids in the fall is to go apple picking. Growing up in Michigan I had the opportunity to experience everything that comes with the change of seasons. For years as an adult I lived and taught school in south Florida. When we began to talk about the season, I  always felt it was so unfortunate that the children would never get a chance to experience what a “REAL” fall was or even the change of seasons.

When my husband was offered a job in Philadelphia when our first son was 15 months old and our second on the way, we jumped at the opportunity. We knew for “our family” it was the best possible way to raise our children, knowing the change of seasons. If my boys are anything like me they will remember jumping in the leaf piles, hay rides at local farms, kicking the damp fall leaves as they walk to school, bonfires at night, pumpkin picking and apple picking on a real farm where you actually have to take the apples from the tree and pumpkins from the vine. These are memories I take with me daily during the fall season, feeling a sense of comfort and connection with my past.

So embrace the season and take your kids apple picking, it can be a tradition that will carry on for generations. Not sure what to do with all those apples? Here are a few apple-inspired recipes for you to try.

Here are some of my favorite places to go apple picking in the Philadelphia area. I’d also LOVE to know where your favorite apple picking spot is.

• Linvilla Orchards – in Media, which is very close to where I live. They have a fantastic playground and petting zoo that is free. I also love their market, the pies are the BEST.
• Varner Farms – In Collegeville gives you a real farm experience with a horse-drawn tractor that takes you to six acres of pumpkins and apple orchards.
• Highland Orchards – in West Chester has been around since 1941. They offer many activities for kids and offers a seasonal CSA.
• Johnson’s Corner Farm – in Medford NJ is seriously a farm you could spend all day at. Besides having apple and pumpkin picking in the fall they have a “Discovery Barnyard”. It offers climbing rocks, challenging Space Net, state of the art EVOS Pathfinder and two Pedal Go Cart Tracks plus so much more.

Now if you don’t live in the Philadelphia area, check out this list for a extensive list of farms near you.

Trina O'Boyle is a Drexel Hill, PA mom of two boys. This post is adapted from her blog, O'Boy Organic.