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This was a picking day at Apple Hill Orchard with Pam Bautz's grandson Liam.
This was a picking day at Apple Hill Orchard with Pam Bautz's grandson Liam.
Yesterday morning’s drive into work was an unexpected preview of Fall’s approach. Cooler temps were rolling in on the winds. Scattered leaves were whirling along the roadside and the hint of rain lingered in the air.
Periwinkle colored clouds hovered above gold corn stalks lining the county back roads. It was like driving through a Van Gogh painting.
Fall in Ohio is my favorite season. From the smells to the scenery, everything is vivid and full of life as it undergoes rapid change for winter’s arrival. And for me it’s a time of the year when I balance my free time between fishing, foraging and filling the cupboards up. In fact, I recently finished with all my “berry” fruits (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries), which are now all put away either in the freezer or pint jars.
Next on my stock list are the late summer fruits - peaches- and early fall fruits - apples and pears - that are wrapping up their harvest or just getting into harvest. While most peach and pear trees in our area are finished blooming at this time, I have noticed some of the orchards may have a variety or two that are ripe for picking until mid-October. And if you are not quite ready for pumpkins, it is now the perfect time for apple picking!
Ohio is one of the top 10 states in apple production in the country, with approximately 50 different varieties grown, including several Ohio originals. And Ohio is not lacking in apple picking farms! In fact there is a state group called Ohio Apples and it represents a membership base of more than 100 family-owned member farms across the state who welcome consumers to their orchards for year-round activities and U-picking experiences.
The concept of U-picking has essentially been around since cutting your own Christmas tree. But according to what little details I have found in research, U-pick farm operations have existed since the early 19th century in America. Popularized on the East coast when apple growers in New Jersey and New York advertised country outings of picking and picnicking among the fruit trees. This apparently grew during the baby boom of the 1950's with roadside fruit stands allowing customers to pick their own fruit.
Crops that are especially suited for U-picking are those that require little expertise to harvest, but demand considerable harvest labor per acre. As most things, the popularity of U-picking has waxed and waned several times. Over the last decade and a half, pumpkins, blackberries, blueberries and strawberries have become stars in the industry, keeping U-picking popular across the nation. Research shows that the newest trend in U-pick farm fun includes flower fields, specifically daylilies, sunflowers and lavender. But at the end of the day, apples have always been the “eye” of most U-picking experiences.
Annual apple picking for us started four years ago on a sunny Sunday afternoon when Jon and his brother were watching the Browns. After pulling the last tray of cookies from the oven, Hazel and I were hankering to get outside. In need of apples and knowing the boys would never miss us, we took off to Apple Hill Orchards for an adventure that would become a favorite memory of mine. It is also an annual event for us, but now my grandson Liam tags along and next year, the newest grandson, Miles, will join us.
Arriving at the orchard, the first thing the kids look for is the wagon. They always enjoy a ride around the farm before we do anything else. It’s a good way to check out the various varieties and see what is ready for picking.
By the time the wagon pulls back up to the store front, we are usually ready for a cup of cider and a treat.
Typically that treat is a warm fresh donut if we are at Apple Hill. I have never seen so many kids stand so patiently as when they are in the fresh donut line.
Once faces and fingers are wiped of crumbs, we grab our bags and commence with filling them. The grandkids all know the more they pick, the more goodies I will make. As for me, the more we pick, the more one on one time I get. Like sitting down for a Sunday meal with the family, these are the days that memories are made from.
While I thoroughly love foraging, I am always anxious to hit the kitchen. Oh how I enjoy pulling out my well worn cookbook stuffed with scraps of paper noting old favorites. I take inventory of things gathered and make a work list, where each item listed is done so with someone or some few in mind. These will be the recipients of the forage trips I make.
Did someone mention fruit pies? Applesauce? Or what about peach sauce drizzled on fresh grilled pork chops.
Canned pears over sponge cake or dehydrated fruit slices for healthy chew snacks. Sinfully scrumptious breads made from fresh picked black raspberries, apples and blueberries. Cobblers. From peeled pieces to preserves, I love turning picked produce into belly satisfying delights.
Apples, peaches, and pears combine nicely with both sweet and savory seasonings like curry, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, or nutmeg. How about adding these fruits to your favorite salsa recipe? Fruit can also be added to quick breads, muffins, and some soups (like butternut with apples or pears).
If the images, smells and tastes aforementioned haven’t gotten to you yet, know this: this fruit trio is considered
“calorie-dense food”, meaning for the number of calories they offer, they contain a high amount of nutrients,
thus they help you spend your calories wisely. Compared to other fruits, these same three fruits are near the
top of the list for the amount of fiber they contain, especially pears.
A pear alone can provide as much as 6 grams of fiber to one’s diet. The daily recommended consumption is between 25-30 grams. Apples offer 5 grams of fiber while peaches offer 2 grams.
You may not realize it, but fiber does more than help “to move '' things in our body. It helps us feel full after a meal and slows the digestion of carbs which extends the availability of brain and body fuel. So in short, fiber’s function is to stabilize the fueling (energy) of the body. Stabilizing the body’s fueling process can also mean a lower risk of surges in blood glucose after eating. A higher fiber diet is also recommended for reducing the risk of certain cancers, high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
As for other desirable daily nutrients, these three fruits provide potassium and phytonutrients. Potassium is a nutrient that tends to be low in the American diet, but having a healthy intake level of it can help normalize blood pressure. Phytonutrients are substances naturally found in plant foods that work behind the scenes to promote optimal health. Many act as antioxidants, working hard to reduce damage to body tissues caused by activities and exposures in everyday life. Some of these nutrients also have anti-inflammatory and/or antiviral properties, which is helpful for many people, with many different health issues.
The easiest way to find an apple U-pick operation is to check out www.ohioapples.com and www.ohio.org for an overall listing and locator maps. Due to the vast amount of Ohio apple varieties, each with their own harvest target dates, be sure to check the orchard’s weekly or daily listing of what is ripe and ready before you grab your bag and go.
Nearest to us in Richland County, there is Apple Hill Orchard in Mansfield, Springhill Fruit Farm in Shiloh and Scenic Ridge Fruit Farm in Jeromesville. All within a reasonable distance which can be crucial to a good day of picking, especially when you are taking young kids.
Apple Hill Orchard was established 90 odd years ago, “at the height of the Great Depression when a farming family began selling apples out of their barn from atop a scenic hill seven miles west of the manufacturing city of Mansfield.”
Still family owned and operated, Apple Hill encompasses 63 acres offering home-grown apples, peaches, pears, plums, and cherries in season. There is a deli and an in-store bakery where their famous apple donuts and other heavenly treats are made. From late August to March they press cider and during the fall there are hayrides, petting zoo and pony ride days to accompany the U-pick apple and pumpkin events.
Springhill Fruit Farm in Shiloh boasts 30 varieties of apples and four varieties of Bartlett pears, whose typical harvest time for both is now through the end of October. Other fruits of interest grown at Springhill are varieties of peaches, plums and nectarines.
Established in 1968 with 1,000 trees, Springhill was named so because of the natural springs on the property.
Today the fruit farm has expanded to over 5,000 trees and is still operated and owned by the original family members. Like most u-pick farms who operate during the fall, Springhill has pumpkins, squash and pressed cider until Thanksgiving week.
Scenic Ridge Fruit Farm (Bauman Orchard owned) in Jeromesville is another quick trip from Richland County when you are in the mood for picking your own produce. Like the other U-pick farms, they offer a variety of other goodies including fresh eggs, apple butter, local honey, maple syrup, sweet corn, melons, tomatoes and green beans.
Across their 84 acres, the fruit farm has 20,000 apple trees and 21 varieties of apples. They also have 5,000 peach trees producing 15 varieties including white peaches and an old favorite, Red Haven. Ten acres are dedicated to sweet corn, four acres to grapes and two acres to strawberries. And if you like Asian pears they grow them, along with plums and cherries.
Two other interesting facts about Scenic Ridge Fruit Farm is that they use rented bee colonies for pollination in the Spring and they use trickle irrigation or more efficient use of water.
While all of this may be considered well written persuasion to get you out of the house this fall, I would be hard pressed to argue. However, to me, just looking at the many ways a peck of this or a bushel of that can be purposed, I find U-picking and preparing to be pure sense and sensibility, not to mention a great deal of fun.
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