Labor Day weekend, we trekked up to Georgia to visit my sister and her family. One thing I love about heading up north is experiencing the good-ole-southern lifestyle…like apple picking in a REAL apple orchard….SO much more fun than apple picking at Whole Foods.
We drove up to the hills of Ellijay, GA to spend the afternoon making memories at the Red Apple Barn. After a picnic next to a bubbling creek in a field surrounded by rows of sunflowers with their faces towards the sky, we hopped aboard a cart pulled by a John Deer Tractor and made our way up to the apple orchard. All that was missing was my Taylor Guitar, my fave flannel shirt, and Lucchese cowboy boots. And maybe a piece of wheat dangling between my teeth.
I’ve never gone apple picking before, so, getting to experience this adventure with my 2 year old son was really, really fun. After a quick layout of the orchard with our guide, we grabbed our bags (Doris Day’s song “A Bushel and A Peck” now makes total sense to me) and hiked our way through rows and rows of Red Delicious, Jonagold and Gala apples looking for sweet, delicious treats. I felt like a kid in Nature’s candy store. My son was in heaven; he looked as American as apple pie with his Mohawk spiked high, American flag t-shirt and his cheeks stuffed to max capacity with apple juice dripping down his small chin and delicate fingers. I was in heaven watching my husband and son as they picked apples and taste tested all the different kinds of apples dangling before them.
Did you know that there are 7,500 varieties of apples grown throughout the world?
Can you imagine getting to taste apple pies made with each variety? Oh. My. Goodness.
Needless to say, after having our fill of apples at the orchard, we came home and made the most delicious apple crisp I have ever eaten… You have to try it. It’s from Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) on Food Network. I promise you won’t be disappointed. Even if you have to pick your apples from the grocery store ☺
Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp
Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten
Barefoot Contessa Parties!
