Apple Picking

For my sister's birthday a couple of weekends ago, we went apple picking at Alstede Farms. I wrote a post in the summer about how we went strawberry picking at Alstede Farms and shared a bunch of animal photos.

Because I don't have any major vacations planned in the immediate future, it's been important to me that I find fun activities to do in this area. New Jersey, despite its strange reputation as being the armpit of America full of nuclear power plants and industrial hot spots and terrible drivers, is actually the garden state, and with good reason. If I head just 20 to 30 minutes south of my home, I end up in farm country where there are countless pick-your-own orchards, horses, cute baby goats, and awesome hiking trails. It's a luxury that I will never, ever take for granted.

Luckily, the day we decided to go (the Sunday before Columbus Day) it was the perfect weather. The skies were bright blue, dotted with fluffy white clouds, and the air was crisp but not overly cool; it was perfect sweater weather.

The apples were plentiful and I'd be lying if I said we didn't eat a few (re: a dozen) while we were picking.

We picked a bunch of different apple varieties: cameo (sweet and crisp), fuji (one of my favorites), empire (sweet and slightly tart and perfect for baking), and crimson crisp (super crunchy).

If you're not into apples, you can go to the corn maze, pick pumpkins and/or tomatoes and/or your own flowers, or you can visit with the animals.

This guy really enjoyed all the attention we were giving him. I think goats are so adorable.

I fell in love with these two alpacas... or are they llamas? I love the angle of this shot because it looks like the white one is growing out of the brown one's back.

If you're not into any of the picking or staring at animals, you can head over to the farmstand where you can buy things that have already been picked for you.

All in all, it was a lovely way to spend an afternoon. We left with lovely fresh apples (which got turned into pie) and a few butternut squash. I don't know if anyone would ever purposely come to New Jersey on holiday but if you do and it's the right season, go pick your own!

xoxo.