Tis the season[1]: Apple picking is here!
I must say, with all the hype and attention pumpkins[2] have generated in the last couple years, apples certainly seem to have taken a back-burner. In fact, I feel a bit sorry for apples, as pumpkins have decidedly stolen their fall harvest spotlight[3]. Yet fear not: There is no time like the present to shift the focus and make a change. Apple season is upon us: The time to pick is now!
Apples have always been iconic: From the red fruit we associate with teachers and education to the fresh-baked apple pie that has come to embody the American spirit, apples symbolize vibrancy and prosperity. On the same token, apples have also had their fair share of negative press. Whether its the forbidden fruit that ruined Adam and Eve or the tainted treat that poisoned Snow White, apples have also come to represent knowledge, temptation, immortality, and the fall of humankind.
Pretty deep stuff for a seemingly inconspicuous fruit, huh?
Yes, apples carry a multitude of meanings and symbolic weight, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t also enjoy them at face value. For me, nothing says “fall” like biting into a crisp, juicy apple on a brisk autumn morning. Something about the sweet, sour, and slightly bitter flavor profile tickles my senses and harkens happy memories, leaving me feeling invigorated and fully alive.
Miraculously, apples are simultaneously rich and tangy, decadent and savory, and they invite an entire litany of culinary possibilities. Apple bread[4], apple fritters, apple donuts, apple cider, apple pie, apples and peanut butter[5]: There is no end to the infinite combination of delicious food pairings once you’ve introduced apples into the mix. And while you can purchase a variety of different apples from the grocery store year-round, the opportunity to handpick fresh apples at a local orchard is just too tempting[6] to pass up.
Cam and I caught the apple bug early and headed west to LuceLine Orchard on the first day honeycrisp were ripe enough to harvest. Established in 2004, LuceLine Orchard is a family-owned establishment that sits on 155 rolling acres of picturesque country farmland. Notably, the orchard’s name pays homage to the neighboring Luce Line State Bike Trail that famously runs 63 miles from Plymouth to Cosmos. With nearly 10,000 trees, seven locally grown apple varieties, scenic nature trails, a charming gift shop, and a newly installed “apple launcher[7],” it is perhaps no surprise LuceLine Orchard has been named the best apple orchard in Minnesota for several consecutive years. Cam and I first visited the orchard last fall and were thoroughly impressed by its small-town charm and delicious apple offerings. As soon as the leaves began to turn and the air commenced to cool, we knew we could not pass up the opportunity for a victory lap.
Our visit began with a self-led tour of the orchard grounds and a visit to the farmhouse gift shop. We perused the shop’s tantalizing offerings before purchasing one peck for self-pick apples. Honeycrisp and SweeTango were ripe for the picking[8], and we were eager to load our bag with as many sweet morsels as we could possibly muster. We navigated our way to the trees and set off on what can only be described as the Great Apple Challenge of 2019.
Of course we had devised a plan going into this: We were going to “apple shop” til we dropped[9]. We did not take this task lightly. In fact, Cam made it his personal challenge to cram as many apples as physically possible into the plastic sack (while avoiding bruising, of course). We were going to maximize our take-home yield or bust! Somehow, the man made it happen[10]. Where there is a will, there is a way! For good measure, we took the liberty of sampling some of the fresh fruit while we worked. After all, sustenance is key, and if our Disney-movie watching childhoods had taught us anything it was this: We needed to make sure the apples weren’t poisoned[11]!
While honeycrisp are the clear favorites, there is something to be said for the sweet, tangy perfection that is SweeTango[12]. Once we had loaded our bag and gorged ourselves on these delectably crisp temptations we reluctantly packed the car and waved LuceLine Orchards a fond farewell. Until next season we polish off our apples, LuceLine!
A few weeks later, we were struck with a shocking realization: Our apple supply was beginning to dwindle! We needed to remedy this crisis as quickly as possible. Intrigued by the prospect of biking the Luce Line Trails to LuceLine Orchard, we looked into logistics but ultimately decided this location was just a little too far out of biking reach, particularly provided that on our return trip we would be loaded down with scrumptious, heavy apples. We did some reconnaissance and found the perfect alternative: We would bike the Luce Line trail, but this time we would navigate to the Minnetonka Orchards in Minnetrista. We mapped out our route (which was pretty straight forward—about 13 of the 15 miles followed the trail), pumped up our tires, emptied our backpacks (we would need as much room as possible for apples, after all), and hit the gravel.
If you have ever biked Luce Line, then you know how beautiful the scenery is and how seamlessly you can cover ground, sailing from one western suburb to the next in the blink of an eye. That said, if you have ever biked Luce Line, then you are also familiar with how surprisingly hilly it is for a relatively “flat” trail. While the road might seem consistent, those subtle peaks and valleys can fool even the most experienced riders into feeling like they are (literally) biking uphill both ways. Cam and I embraced the workout and enjoyed the autumn air as we witnessed the first leaves begin to fall.
A little over fifteen miles later, we arrived at the Minnetonka Orchards. We had planned our arrival to roughly coincide with opening hours, and we were surprised to discover the parking lot was already teeming with vehicles, strollers, dog-walking couples, and families decked out in their fall finest. We walked our bikes down the gravel paths towards the general store, and purchased another peck knowing any apples we were about to pick would be eaten in no time. Then we headed for the trees, bag and bikes in tow, and scouted out the perfect location to begin harvesting Zestar! and SweeTango.
I’m not sure if it was the location, the time of day, or the recent official arrival of fall—probably a healthy helping of all three, I might guess—but this orchard was significantly more crowded than the LuceLine had been. This wasn’t our first rodeo, however, and we expertly apple-bobbed and weaved our way through the trees until we reached the untouched apples at the end of the rows.
We took our sweet time, alternating between picking, stretching, apple munching, and people watching[13], all the while enjoying the fresh air reveling in the fact that we had biked to an apple orchard. Before we knew it we had filled our bag and it was time to hit the road. Cam and I divvied up our apple plunder, carefully secured the goods in our backpacks, helmeted up, and began pedaling up the dirt road we had cycled in on.
Understandably, the ride home was a bit more laborious than the way there[14], but we took our time, enjoying the scenery, the company, and the sweet promise of apples that awaited us.
At the end of the day, I’m not sure what I enjoyed more: The apple picking or the biking involved in order to make that happen. I most certainly will bike for apples. But I just as equally will “apple” for bikes.
Tis the apple-picking season. So put on your flannel, pump up your bikes, pack up your minivan full of kids, or slip on your high heels[15]: Do whatever it is that gets you in the autumn spirit, enjoy some well-deserved time outside with friends and family, and reap the rewards that come with hand-picking fall’s bountiful harvest. And, while you’re at it, enjoy an apple or two[16].
“Granny Smith” would approve.
[1] No, not that season. Although Christmas is only 90 days away… Better start shopping!
[2] Read: Pumpkin spice.
[3] If only Starbucks were to introduce an “Apple Spice Latte.” Then life, as we know it, would change.
[4] Try my experimental, accidentally delicious recipe below!
[5] Perhaps the simplest (and healthiest) of “apple” options, this combo is certainly a winner! So simple. So good.
[6] It looks like apples are a fitting symbol for temptation after all.
[7] Think: Apple slingshot on steroids. It’s even better than it sounds.
[8] Alas, no “Granny Smith” variety here. In fact, Granny Smith is not locally grown as one of many Minnesota apple varieties. Notably, Granny Smith Apples originated in Australia, where they were named after Maria Ann Smith, the first person to propagate the cultivar from a chance seedling. This tart, acidic apple variety requires warm weather to produce fruit and thus is most successful when grown in southern parts of the United States. Minnesota grown or not, I couldn’t dream of a more fitting Crayola color to deliciously encapsulate our apple picking adventures.
[9] No apple left behind!
[10] Miracle of miracles he somehow wedged 40 apples into one tightly confined space. Now that is skill!
[11] We weren’t about to have a Snow White scenario on our hands!
[12] Hmm: I wonder how this apple earned its name?
[13] Oh so much people watching. I am still trying to wrap my mind around the mathematically improbable number of women who wear high heels to a muddy, buggy orchard. Perplexing.
[14] An extra ten pounds of apples on your back tends to have that effect. Oh, and did I mention Luce Line is somehow—cursedly—uphill both ways?
[15] Actually, please don’t do this. We all know you are on a dead end to nowhere with nothing but blisters, sprained ankles, and terrible disappointment in your future. On a related note, I strongly suggest purchasing a pair of Bean boots. Your feet will thank you.
[16] Or three or four…
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