Apple Picking Good

"This weekend," I told the girls, "we're going to go pick apples."

We talked about how apples grow on trees and how even if you don't care for apples (Ellie) you might still like apple cider or apple pie. Yippee! But as we prepared for our little trip we ran into a snag.

Where are all the local apple orchards? People talk about picking apples, but where do they go?!

The obvious answer is Eckerts. We picked pumpkins at an Eckerts once. It's always easier to go back somewhere familiar than to try out someplace new. But I wasn't excited about returning to Eckerts this year.

For one thing, the three locations are 40, 60, and 80 minutes from our house. Big trip for a few minutes of apple picking. Even more importantly, Eckerts charges admission. In addition to the cost of the apples, there is an $8 admission fee PER PERSON for the farm. That fee makes the apples very expensive.

Visitors do get something for their admission fee to Apple Fest. "Wagon rides, music, live entertainment, great festival foods, children’s activities and much more make this an apple pickin’ good time for everyone! Whether riding a pony or feeding a goat, your young ‘uns will enjoy getting acquainted with common farm animals. Children’s carnival and/or activities at all three farms. Funnel cakes, roasted sweet corn, caramel apples and more to tempt your taste buds."
Some activities, like rides and food, incur additional costs. But the $8 admission fee does get visitors into a big country carnival.

If carnivals are your thing and your apple-picking trip is to be an all-day outing, Eckerts might be just the thing. But we just wanted to go to a farm and pick some apples, hopefully showing the kids a little bit about where their food comes from, having fun, and not spending much more than we would have at Schnucks.

I was stuck until I found Pick Your Own (Missouri).

That fabulous site led me to: Thierbach Orchards & Market.

Thierbach Orchards & Market is also about 45 minutes from our house, but it's a lovely drive west on I 44. There's stuff to do at the farm (a small store, mazes, big slide, bouncy houses, petting zoo with chickens to watch and goats to pet) but it's not a full-on carnival. And there's no admission fee! ($3 charge if you want to bounce or go in the big mazes.) In fact, we showed up after a rainstorm and had the place to ourselves. The deflated bouncy apparatuses posed no serious temptation, either. Perfect.

Thierbach Orchards & Market feels like a working farm that welcomes guests. And that's exactly what we wanted!

Another nearby orchard I've heard is similarly low-key is Centennial Farms in Augusta.

Do you pick your own? What and where?