National Apple Day falls on Sunday, Oct. 21 and can be celebrated at Alstede Farms in Chester, NJ. Enjoying Apple Day can be as easy as biting into your favorite variety of apple, curling up with a book while drinking hot cider, or baking an apple pie. Others seeking family-friendly adventure may decide to head to the farm for some apple picking and other festive fall activities. Alstede Farms offers all of your favorite festivities at their Fall Harvest festival, which is going on now! You can enjoy getting lost in a corn maze, live music and s’mores at their Harvest Moon Hayride on Friday and Saturday nights, pumpkin picking, and so much more. The first time I celebrated Apple Day was when I was in kindergarten, and we made applesauce in our classroom! This holiday has something special for the entire family.
While New York City has countless farmers’ markets and grocery stores where you can purchase your own apples, sometimes you need to connect with nature and indulge in the experience of picking your own apples. What could be better than rows and rows of more than 50 kinds of apples you can choose from to fit your flavor profile? On a bright Saturday in September, I decided to do just that and took a trip to Alstede Farm to check out its corn maze and pick some apples. The lively atmosphere was charged by the excitement of families as children climbed haystacks, giggled at the petting zoo, and enjoyed a puppet show. Alstede Farm is pet-friendly, so your family’s furry friend can experience this too!
I brought my own container to carry my apples, which was weighed before I entered the pick-your-own area. You can all buy a big container on-site for $2. A short distance from the admission shed was a wagon ride, and I decided to take it rather than walk to the apple orchard. I knew I wanted to grab some Red Delicious and Fuji apples, which I easily found on the farm’s map while enjoying my stroll. Even after I was done picking my apples, I loved walking up and down the rows, looking closely at the leaves and bright fruit while listening to birds sing. I’d occasionally hear the laughter of a child and see parents walking by with their strollers and smiling children. However, if you’re taking a stroller to the farm, be mindful that you can’t take it on the wagon ride and a few of the fields can get hilly or muddy.
After I got my fill of apples and pictures, I started craving some apple cider doughnuts and decided to head back to the main area for a quick snack. The picnic tables were in a different area from the pick-your-own section, and I wasn’t quite ready to leave, so I sat on the grass to enjoy my treats. Even my dog had a bite, licking the cinnamon off her lips. Once my sweet tooth was satisfied, we hit the trail toward the corn-maze and got a closer look at the pick-your-own flowers and pumpkin patch that are opposite the apple and peach orchards. This farm is huge and has something for everyone!
The cold morning turned into a hot day, as it so often does when the seasons transition. I was glad I wore layers that could easily be taken off, but wish I had thought to bring a hat or sunscreen… or both! What else is tastier on a sunny day at a farm than homemade, seasonally flavored ice cream? I was delighted to find that Alstede Farm offers so many flavors, including pumpkin chip, apple pie, maple walnut, and apple cider doughnut… yum!
After heading home, I wanted to put my shiny, new apples to good use! I decided to relive my kindergarten Apple Day experience by making applesauce. Check out this article for apple cinnamon French toast, apple sauce fruit leather, and apple cider ice cream float recipes! If you’re craving something savory, you can try adding the apples to your salad. How are you planning to celebrate Apple Day? Will you spend a day at the farm, try a new recipe or type of apple, sip cider, or munch on apple treats? National Apple Day is a great reason to create new fall memories!
