Apple Hill is a community that comes alive in the fall months of the year as several orchards in the area have apples fresh from their trees and all sorts of good things made from their apples available for purchase – I’m talking everything from fresh apple juice or cider, to syrup, butters, turnovers, applesauce, most everything in between and my personal favorite - pies. Now, these pies are not just any pies they are spectacular homemade pies that make the 2 hour drive worth it, just for the pies. And the pies aren’t just typical flavors, in fact – my favorite has got to be the cranberry-orange-apple pie from an orchard called “Grandpa’s Cellar”. Along with the apples in Apple Hill there are pumpkin patches where you can pick your own pumpkins, Christmas tree farms where closer to Christmas you can pick out your fresh Christmas tree, beautiful vineyards and other fresh goodies. Apple Hill truly comes alive in the fall with kid activities, craft booths, and great food.
After I visited Apple Hill for the first time I was so excited that Brent and I made a trip back up just two weeks later and then went back last year for the pies, apple cider, and to pick out our own pumpkins fresh from a pumpkin patch. Ever since my first trip to Apple Hill I’ve imagined taking my children up there in the fall to ride the kiddie train, eat the food, pick out their own pumpkins, etc., (this is part of why I think I enjoy the area so much - the dreams I've had for the future Nutt House visiting the area) Last year, Kara did go with us as we picked out pumpkins, but seeing as she wasn’t even two months old I find that that particular trip doesn’t much count.
I have hyped up Apple Hill to my parents and since my mom is up in Reno with Kara and I now and we are preparing to move she made mention how it would be nice to visit Apple Hill. This sounded like a good idea to me as I wanted that one last visit before leaving. After researching to find out that there were at least a couple orchards that would be open and due to the time of year berry patches open where you could pick your own berries we decided to make the trip.
So, Saturday morning we enjoyed the drive around the south side of Lake Tahoe and on up Highway 50 to Apple Hill. Most of the orchards were closed, but we did drive around the community as we enjoyed the scenery and I pointed out what had become our favorite orchards in Apple Hill. We did find “Patrick’s Mountain Grown Berry Farm” open where we stopped so Kara and I could pick some raspberries and blackberries. How tasteful they were – fresh off the vine and straight into our mouths… yummy!!! Seeing as we aren’t sticking around Reno long enough to bottle a lot of berries or turn them into jam (as well, I don’t want more stuff to worry about packing) we picked just enough to enjoy as a healthy snack this week. Kara did enjoy helping pick the berries (we are just working on not picking the leaves).
After we picked berries we ventured back to another orchard where we were able to enjoy lunch and pick up some fresh produce and juice, along with a couple frozen pies to bring home. Going to Apple Hill really allowed us to enjoy a relaxing Saturday before the madness of the last full week in Reno begins.
I can’t end without sharing the joy of Sunday where Kara was her beautiful, silly, goofy self as she climbed Grandma and I, chased Pixie and played after church all afternoon. The smile I was able to capture in this last picture truly warms my heart.
As the Nutt House begins our last full week apart we hope for luck that all goes well with the closing of the new house and the packing of the old. We wish all of you a happy and fantastic week!!!
I love how Pixie is back there eye-balling her like "You'd better not be coming after me, kid!"
ReplyDeleteKara is so adorable.