Orchard visit

The Apple Tree

When an apple tree is ready for the world to
come and eat,
There isn't any structure in the land that's
"got it beat."
There's nothing man has builded with the
beauty or the charm
That can touch the simple grandeur of the
monarch of the farm.
There's never any picture from a human
being's brush
That has ever caught the redness of a single apple's blush.

When an apple tree's in blossom it is glorious
to see,
But that's just a hint, at springtime, of the
better things to be;
That is just a fairy promise from the Great
Magician's wand
Of the wonders and the splendors that are
waiting just beyond
The distant edge of summer; just a forecast
of the treat
When the apple tree is ready for the world
to come and eat.

Architects of splendid vision long have labored
on the earth,
And have raised their dreams in marble and
we've marveled at their worth;
Long the spires of costly churches have looked
upward at the sky;
Rich in promise and in the beauty, they have
cheered the passer-by.
But I'm sure there's nothing finer for the eye
of man to meet
Than an apple tree that's ready for the world
to come and eat.

There's the promise of the apples, red and
gleaming in the sun,
Like the medals worn by mortals as rewards
for labors done;
And the big arms stretched wide open, with a
welcome warm and true
In a way that sets you thinking it's intended
just for you.
There is nothing with a beauty so entrancing,
so complete,
As an apple tree that's ready for the world to
come and eat.

Edgar A. Guest


We just came home from a visit to the orchard, and I thought I should blog about it now or else I'd never get around to it.

Our homeschool group scheduled a field trip to Apple Annie's our favorite you-pick orchard, so we thought it would a good opportunity to go get some apples. Although we couldn't stay long out in the orchard because of an impending storm,

we all got all the apples we could possible squeeze in our 1/4 peck bags (the bags we were supplied with as a part of the field trip)
Thankfully the storm held off for a while longer, and we didn't see the first raindrops until we were in the truck on the way home. I really can't believe the weather lately, mom and I have said to each other many times this week and last "Is this Arizona?" Usually this time of year it's insufferably hot and painfully sunny. The past week or so it's been "cool" (for Arizona) and rainy almost every day.
But, I digress, back to the apple orchard. We all met and ate a picnic lunch together, and then there was a little talk for the young children about apple farming.
We all got a 21st century hay-ride (a tractor-pulled trailer with hay bales to sit on)
out to the orchard, for which I was quite thankful because the roads out the orchard were impossibly muddy, and usually you would have to walk.

The rows between the trees weren't muddy which was a blessing and we all were able to pick without getting stuck. :)


We ate apples straight from the tree, which were delicious!

We had never done this before, because we assume that they used pesticides, and wouldn't eat them without washing, but we were thankful to discover that they use no pesticides on their farm!


When we got back we had to get traditional pictures to see how much Seth had grown since our last visit.
Then we all got delicious squares of fudge at the amazing fudge kitchen,

and some apple bread and cider to have at home.



We're hoping to go back in a week or two to get some more apples, because we only got 3 of the 1/4 peck bags full, which isn't enough to make apple butter and applesauce as I had hoped too, though there is plenty for apple pie and slices for dipping in homemade caramel sauce! yum!

I'll leave y'all for now but hopefully I'll be back soon. I'd love to hear comments from y'all on what kind of blog posts you'd like to see.

Have a fantastic evening,
~Elissa