One of my favorite things about settling into life in Indiana has been getting to experience all the little seasonal traditions I didn’t have growing up in Florida. We had plenty of orange groves back home, of course, but apple orchards? Not so much. And while Florida has its share of festivals, I never grew up going to one where you could pick your own oranges!
So, apple picking has become one of those fall activities I’ve come to look forward to.
It was actually pretty warm for a fall day, and we had a little rain when we first arrived. Thankfully, it didn’t last long, and we were soon ready to get to picking!
One thing I really loved was the variety of apples available. I knew we’d find a few different kinds, but there were so many options to choose from! We picked Jonagold, Jonathan, Gala, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, and Fuji apples.
I love that we got to bring home a mix instead of sticking to just one kind. There’s something satisfying about picking fruit straight from the tree, especially when you’re used to grabbing whatever looks good at the grocery store. And the trees were still full of apples, so we had plenty to choose from!
This was our second time going apple picking. Last year, we went to Scott’s Orchard, which was about halfway between Nashville and Birmingham. We met up with some of our Alabama friends there, so that trip was a little different from this one.
It’s funny how a seasonal activity can become a tradition even as life changes around you. Last year, we were meeting friends between two cities. This year, we were making new memories here in Indiana.
Flowers, Flowers Everywhere
As much as I enjoyed picking apples, the flower fields might have been my other favorite part of the day!
Tuttle Orchards had a whole selection of U-cut flowers, and I couldn’t resist bringing home a jar of them. There were so many colors and varieties to choose from, including zinnias, sunflowers, celosia, marigolds, Sunball, Cock’s Comb, and Prairie Sun.
And just look at this bouquet!
I brought the flowers home in a mason jar, and I’m so glad I did. Fresh flowers are one of those small things that can make an ordinary day feel a little more special. Now, every time I look at them, I’m reminded of our afternoon at the orchard.
It’s a little souvenir that doesn’t involve a refrigerator magnet or something else that will eventually get tucked away in a drawer.
Don’t Forget the Frozen Apple Cider
Of course, we couldn’t spend the day at an orchard without trying something apple-flavored.
We tried the frozen apple cider, and it was SO good. I’m not exaggerating when I say it was one of the highlights of the trip!
The weather was warm enough that a cold treat was especially welcome. It was the perfect little break from wandering around and picking apples.
Honestly, between the orchard scenery, the flowers, and the seasonal treats, there was plenty to enjoy beyond the apple picking itself.
From the Orchard to Our Kitchen
Of course, bringing home a bag full of apples means I now have the very important task of figuring out what to do with them.
Apple butter is already a favorite tradition of mine, so that was always going to be on the list. There’s just something about homemade apple butter that makes me think of fall, and I love having it around to enjoy long after the orchard trip is over. It also makes for really easy gifts for family, friends, or coworkers!
I also wanted to try my hand at almás pitĂ©, a Hungarian apple pie. I’ve been making an effort to connect a little more with my Hungarian family roots, and exploring traditional recipes feels like a fun way to do that. Food is such a lovely connection to family history, even when you’re still learning about the traditions and recipes themselves.
My husband is also a big fan of apple pie and apple cobbler, so those are always solid options around here.
And then there’s my shortcut version of apple pastries: apple-stuffed crescent rolls!
Think of them as a little hack for apple croissants or turnovers. They’re an easy way to get that warm, sweet apple-pastry feeling without committing to making pastry from scratch. Sometimes a shortcut is exactly what you need, especially when you’re excited to use your fresh-picked apples but don’t want to spend the entire day in the kitchen.
Between the apple butter, Hungarian apple pie, cobbler, and crescent rolls, I think we’ll find plenty of ways to enjoy our haul. Now I just have to decide what to make first!
Making Room for the Little Things
Moving from Florida to Tennessee and then to Indiana has given me plenty of opportunities to experience new places and build new routines. Apple picking is one of those small traditions I probably wouldn’t have thought much about before moving, but now it’s something I look forward to!
I love that my husband and I have been able to make this a little tradition of our own. Whether we’re meeting friends at an orchard or spending an afternoon picking apples and flowers together, it’s a reminder that making a home somewhere new happens in little moments, too.
A warm fall day, a bag of six different apple varieties, a jar of freshly picked flowers, and a really good frozen cider. Nothing particularly extraordinary, maybe, but that’s kind of the point.
Sometimes the best memories come from doing ordinary things a little differently.
And now, if you’ll excuse me, I have apples to turn into approximately a million delicious things! 🍎
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