Fall, Phase 3

For the past 3 years we've gone apple picking as a family at Carter Mountain Orchard in Charlottesville. It's super fun. They're delicious. We go to Michie Tavern for lunch afterward. It's a grand time. It was conveniently located 45 min. from Richmond when we lived there. It's now not-so-conveniently located 2.5 hours from our house.

So this year we "branched" out and drove to a picturesque family farm in Markham called Hartland Orchard. LOVED IT.

A few comparisons we made while there, leading to our change of loyalty from Carter Mountain to Hartland (sad, but inevitable):

1. Hartland's plethora of apple varieties puts Carter Mtn. to shame. Our favorites: York, Fuji, and Granny Smith. Delicious.

2. Hartland lets you drive your car THROUGH the orchards to your desired picking spot, instead of having to park in a parking lot and trudge your family up a hill. Totally convenient.

3. Both places have apple pickers, which are heavy but awesome. Not recommended for kids. (Not even recommended for weak-armed moms who've slacked going to the gym all summer.)

4. On top of their gargantuan apple orchard, they've got over 4 acres of pumpkin plants so you can harvest your own pumpkin. This, admittedly, was only fun for Drew and me; the girls were not so impressed. Mostly they liked the wagon ride through the pumpkin jungle and were bugged by all the, well...bugs. I'm not sure, though, how I feel about our ONE 25 pound pumpkin costing more than our whole PECK of apples (I'm not sure how many pounds that is, but it's a ton, I assure you).

5. Although Carter Mountain has fresh-made apple doughnuts ready to devour after you've picked all your apple loot, Hartland offers apple-butter-making demonstration outside, a huge pumping cider press, and beautiful, cheap gourds by the crate-ful.

6. Also, Carter Mtn. charges you by the pound for you fruit, which can get pricey (we usually walk away muttering to ourselves, "How the heck did we just spend 25 bucks on apples???). Hartland, however, charges by the bag-ful, or peck. $10 flat rate- however many apples you can fit in a bag. Score.

So far we've made 2 batches of applesauce and caramel apples. Mmmmm...

7. And lastly, although we love the experience of indulging in colonial American food at Michie Tavern after Carter Mountain, Cafe Rio in Manassas was waiting for us on the ride home. Who can complain with that compromise?

Now THAT was a good day.