So on Saturday we went apple picking in Bovina Center, New York. We were planning on going to another farm closer to Albany but then we decided to switch it up.
On the way, not far from home though, we spotted these two eagles. They were so close to the road is was incredible. So while we drove to the apple farm we did a quick lesson on eagles and how they are endangered.
We go apple picking every year. Typically we go to Masker Orchards and also get apple cider and cider doughnuts. We did end up buying doughnuts from the grocery store but I’ll be making some next week too. We bought maple syrup, and some maple candy at the farm though, which was cool. We ended up doing a quick lesson on how Maple is made.
I don’t know what it is about apple picking but it really gets me in the mood for fall. I mean the leaves have already started changing colors and falling. I mean it is really cold out even for this time of year, which to me is unusual but we are also still in a pandemic so, I don’t know, its like anything could happen this year. Right?
Anyway, Since apple picking didn’t take as long as normal, we stopped at the SUNY Delhi Educational center and took a long hike. You can check it out here:
Anyways, I am so excited for all the things we can and will be doing with our apples. Besides all the wonderful types of apples you can get, we plan on baking a lot of different things, doing apple volcanoes (and pumpkin once we go pumpkin picking), cutting them open to observe the seeds, heck we may plant and get it going for the spring, and who knows what else.
We also planned on borrowing these books from our library, I have have a more extensive list shortly, so stay tuned:
Discover the well-loved tradition of growing and picking apples – a fruit that has been in existence for about two million years. Explore the history of the apple but also the way that families and farmers grow and care for apple trees today, from planting to selling, to turning them into delicious treats and using them for classic games like “bobbing for apples” on Halloween.
An Apple’s Life by Nancy Dickmann
Before you go apple picking, read this book to find out how apples are created. From seed to seedling, tree to blossom, flower to fruit, the life cycle of an apple is beautiful to see. This title shows the reader how an apple begins life, grows, and reproduces
Ten Apples Up on Top! by Theo LeSieg
Don’t let the apples drop! Three animal friends practice balancing apples on their heads in this hilarious introduction to counting, illustrated by Roy Mckie. The sturdy board book teaches all about numbers, with a dose of signature Seuss charm. Kids will learn to count to ten–and want to start all over again!
Apple Picking Day by Candice Ransom
Who doesn’t love to go apple picking at the first sign of fall? A sister and brother celebrate autumn with a trip to a local apple orchard in this simple, rhyming Step 1 early reader.
The kids bound with glee through the rows of trees, and race against other children to pick the most and the best apples. The story of their day is bright, fun, and full of light action. It’s told in easy-to-follow rhyme, ensuring a successful reading experience.
And we watched these quick videos about the process of how apple trees grow.
Today is also Johnny Appleseed day. John Chapman (September 26, 1774 – March 18, 1845), better known as Johnny Appleseed, was an American pioneer nurseryman who introduced apple trees to large parts of Pennsylvania, Ontario, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, as well as the northern counties of present-day West Virginia. He became an American legend while still alive, due to his kind, generous ways, his leadership in conservation, and the symbolic importance he attributed to apples. He was also a missionary for The New Church (Swedenborgian)[1] and the inspiration for many museums and historical sites such as the Johnny Appleseed Museum[2] in Urbana, Ohio, and the Johnny Appleseed Heritage Center in Ashland County, Ohio. The Fort Wayne TinCaps, a minor league baseball team in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where Chapman spent his final years, is named in his honor.
For all recipes we plan on using, go check out Matthew’s Kitchen, where in previous years we have made applesauce, apple crisp, apple pie and more.