My college friends and I used to have a tradition of going apple picking every year. This was pre-kids. It was something to do so we could appreciate the fall foliage and in the end we’d take home some apples.
I remember there being trees and somewhere to pay for the apples. Perhaps a little stand to purchase apple cider donuts and a picnic bench to eat them.
Nothing elaborate.
I do not remember hoards of screaming children and lines a mile long to buy kettle corn and miniature pony rides and bouncy castles stretching up to the sky, etc. etc. etc.
Why does it seem like since I had children, the rest of the planet also had children and all of those children like to go apple picking at once? And why do I always forget that on a beautiful Saturday in September, I will not be the only mother who thinks apple picking is the perfect fall family activity? And why is apple picking no longer enough of an event on its own? Why are 5000 additional fall activities available on a pay-per-play basis, like apple orchards are nature’s version of Disney World?
Like everything else, I blame social media. Facebook and Instagram have made parents want to prove they do valuable and photo-worthy things with their children at all times.
Guilty as charged.
When we arrived at the apple orchard this past weekend, it looked like the line for Space Mountain. There was a moment when I thought Mike was going to turn the car around and go home.
When we got to the front of the line, they had just given out the very last wagon. (In our apple orchard of choice, children do not simply walk, they are pulled along in perfect little red wagons.) I must have looked visibly annoyed and Mazzy may have done her signature fake “WAH!!!!!!” (aka the most irritating sound on earth), prompting the apple orchard lady to suggest I find someone using a wagon for something other than kids.
YES!!!! The bitch at the register was using a wagon to cart around sunflowers! THINK OF THE CHILDREN, LADY!!!!!
I asked her nicely if she could perhaps hold the sunflowers in her hand and then directed her glare to the pouts of my two little girls.
I got the wagon.
I’m not proud.
Here is the place where I should insert the perfect photo of my perfect kids riding in their perfect wagon around the perfect apple orchard, but alas, once I secured the wagon, Mazzy and Harlow both decided they would rather walk.
BUT WHAT ABOUT INSTAGRAM, GUYS????
Mike and I ended up pulling the empty wagon around for the next hour. Thank god the sunflower lady didn’t see us.
I’m not going to say anything else bad about our experience because we had an awesome time. The initial line moved quicker than expected and once you stepped foot in the actual orchard, all did seem pretty much perfect.
The weather was gorgeous, I didn’t lose any kids in the corn maze and they had a kickass playground to play in when we were finished.
The kickass playground cost $8 a head (whether you were a newborn baby in a carrier or a senior citizen in a wheel chair), so it cost the four of us $32, but whatever— that’s the price you pay for a decent apple nowadays.
If you are wondering why my children are wearing different outfits in the photos— no, I did not bring costume changes for Instagram purposes.
We had so much fun, we went twice.
That’s $64 + the cost of apples, if anyone is keeping track.
Disney World is starting to sound cost effective.
—————————
For more real-time photos, follow @mommyshorts on Instagram.
We still kick it old school in our little orchard. We pick apples and end with some cider and apple fritters. So much better.
Laughed at loud at BUT WHAT ABOUT INSTAGRAM, GUYS? Duke tried to dress himself over the weekend, and somehow managed to get his head stuck in his shirt sleeve. He got his pants on somewhat successfully, if backwards. The whole thing was so cute and I wanted to take a picture so badly, but he was crying and in a panic, as one gets when one’s head is stuck in a shirt sleeve, so I couldn’t. But man I wish I did.
p.s. Not to mock you, but we also went apple picking last weekend, and our super-dad friend brought an adorable red wagon for his kids, but then my kids commandeered it, AND made him pull them around. Win-win.
Around here it’s all about the pumpkin patches. I *think* I have discovered a lesser-known one that’s every bit as awesome as and much cheaper than the other mega-pumpkin patch everyone else goes to. For all I know, I’ll get there and find out it’s the new popular pumpkin patch and the other place is so last year.
That was very funny! Like you, I did the exact same thing this past Saturday. I also learned that apple picking should be a fall activity- not a summer activity. It was over 85 degrees this Saturday and we were SO HOT picking our apples! But I did get my annual picture of Sophie standing next to a measuring stick with a cute picture on it.
We’re going apple picking this year, but we prefer orchards that just have apples (apple cider & donuts too, of course). There are other orchards in the area that have pony rides, bouncy “pillows” and other various rides for the kiddos…no thank you; I much prefer the money in my wallet & what little sanity I have left to stay in my brains. It looks like you guys had a fantastic time(s)!
Now I want to talk my hubby into taking us to the apple orchard. I dont think it is gonna happen this yea but next year for sure.
Looks like you had fun! I want to take my son to a nice apple orchard we have here, but the last time we went he got so excited about the apples that he would pick one off the tree (in the exact way the signs said NOT to), take a bite or two, and then either throw it on the ground or give it to me/hubs, and then go for another apple on the tree. We ended up with a whole bag of apples with bites out of them… but it did make for great pictures!
We went to the orchard last weekend and had a blast as well. Living in the Midwest though, where apple orchards are as abundant as cows and cornfields, we had the whole place to ourselves almost. Your children were much more fashionably dressed than mine though, who barely made it into clean clothes for the occasion. Won’t someone think of the pictures!
Here is what we learned from the experience:
1) The apples out of reach are always more desirable than the ones within, and with ample crying daddy will lift you up to reach the high ones.
2) Toddlers do not discriminate between perfect, Martha-Stewart worthy apples and the tiny little ones that look like a bug is ready to crawl out.
3) Throwing the apples is just as fun as picking the apples
4) As is eating them
5) But not as fun as eating the donuts and cider you can get before you leave.
I wrote a blog about our experience and made a super CUTE (I’m not at all biased) video of our experience. If anyone is interested you can read about it and watch the video here: http://withababyintow.wordpress.com/2014/09/27/a-trip-to-the-apple-orchard/
Hmm is anyone else experiencing problems with the images on this blog loading?
I’m trying to find out if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog.
Any responses would be greatly appreciated.
LOVE IT! We also went apple picking a few weeks ago – my secret? Only go to orchard with vineyards and wine tastings. Win-win. Kiddo runs around like crazy; mommy doesn’t care 🙂
I’m not sure if it’s because I live in Maine but the Farm I went to had apples, pumpkins and a corn maze. You could also buy cider there and feed the goats for .25. It looked like a farm and was laid back. You can pay $5 to enter the corn Maze which has secret spots to find and if you successfully finish it you get a free ice cream. Good deal right? No bounce houses or playgrounds but it was a great time 🙂 Although 80 degrees for the last weekend in September was a bit much!
I love the pictures! sounds like you all had a great day. Love the instagram comment. I think the funniest thing my son ever said was when he caught a fish hook in his cheek. Naturally we called the ambulance, the fire dept everyone came out to try to see about it ( we ended up at the ER and them removing it). Anyway there are all these people out there and he said, ” Mommy, I’m glad you don’t have your camera or I’d be on Facebook like this.” Everyone fell out laughing. Out of the mouth of babes. He was 6 at the time
I merely would not disappear altogether your web site ahead of advising that I essentially adored the usual facts any person supply for a visitors? Is usually just going to be once again regularly as a way to examine cross-check innovative articles