Apple Picking 2010

Every year my family attends plenty of pick your own farms, this year so far we've only managed to squeeze in strawberries and now apples, but they are really my absolute favorite. Its what we did most frequently when I was a kid. We had strawberry jam, apple cider and plenty of apples that sat in the chill box until January or later. (Maine climates are much more forgiving for this, here in Pennsylvania I find myself struggling to get everything canned or eaten by November.) I guess the tradition of it all is really whats become so special to me now. Its passing on the tradition to my boys, and remembering that at some point I may be picking those apples much older by myself, or with grandchildren?... Whoa now, thats a scary thought my boys aren't ever going to grow up! ...EVER. 

As I pass on these traditions I find myself wondering what I can do to actually support local agriculture. I mean eating local and organic is not necessarily affordable at all times but I really strive to try...  we're members of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and we frequent pick your own farms and produce stands but is that really enough? Does it make much of a difference? At the very least I want to show my kids the importance of the land and harvesting these foods. More importantly I'd like to really somehow teach them how hard it is to grow this food. With a world of options available at our fingertips in a local grocery mart its really becoming harder now days to explain to my kids that we should eat foods when they are supposed to be eaten, and just the idea that strawberries are not a January food annoys Riley to tears at times. I obviously give in and get him the $5 carton of strawberries now and then but he just stares at me like I'm out of my mind for even mentioning it. Momma, strawberries ARE a January food they're right there!!!!) So by taking  the boys to the farms as the fruits are in season I'm acclimating them to the land and what its doing right now in our own neighborhood. Although we drive approximately 30-45 minutes to any of the farms we frequent its still a point well worth making.

Although we are not actually true homesteaders we strive to try and really remain connected with the roots of the land in some way. Apples to me I have the weirdest affinity to. It really is a true symbol of fertility, harvest and renewal. Its another years grand finale, natures wonderful bounty has grown full circle once again. Its officially time for spiking cider, pumpkin pies, and of course for my family fresh venison. Although our beneficial impact on the local agriculture is probably fairly minimal its something that I find extremely important. I really am hell bent on passing on to my children the tradition of being aware of local farmers and the work they put into real food. Without this knowledge I don't believe they'll ever fully be appreciative of their surroundings.


So this year we went to Gulick's farm for the second year and picked Cortland apples. I'm almost positive this is what we picked last year since we went for the first crop last year as well. Although I absolutely adore, and I mean ADORE golden delicious, they are what I buy all through the year. I've found that they are not ideal for canning, but every apple orchard I've ever been too I've secretly sought out the golden apples as if they're the ... forbidden fruit? and, well I may sneak one or two. Although the Cortland apples did not keep as well as I'd like for pie filling I cant seem to ever wait for anything else. There were Jonathan apples ready to pick via ladder but theres no way my huge haunches were climbing anything. Plus the Cortland's looked bigger which means less apples to pick and peel per pound. One with nature? Maybe , lazy hippie... somewhat. It is what it is, but no matter how I've grown or changed, now matter what every year this is the exact moment that I'm truly a child at heart and 100% filled with pure gratitude and joy. I'm thankful and humbled by something that sincerely grounds me entirely. Its no mystery to me why the apple has become such a mythical wonder, throughout cultures its revered as something more than just an apple. Its immortality, everlasting nourishment, fertility, its health? An apple a day may not keep my doctor at bay considering how much I love bacon we'll be lucky if he's not on speed dial, yet every single year I find myself in this exact place, its this exact moment, that I realize its time for pie. It does your body good. (After all thats about the only thing my  husband finds inspiring about apples... it inspires him to want pie.)