Time to Go Apple Picking

Just the thought of biting into a freshly picked Empire makes me salivate. I am not alone. This time of year, people get apple crazed. I am sure you’ve noticed the delicious apple recipesYankee’s food editor, Annie B. Copps, developed for our September/October issue. Before you make any of those recipes, you need to get yourself some apples. I suggest going straight to the orchard to have a little apple adventure. You might have a favorite local orchard. Mine happens to be Alyson’s Orchard in nearby (to me) Walpole, NH. I must admit, I stopped by a couple weeks ago, and instead of going apple picking I opted for peach picking. It was still August and I did not want to rush anything. Now that we’ve hit the middle of September, it is officially time to pick those apples. If you are thinking about going destination apple picking, check out New England Apple Grower’s Association’s apple orchard map. Of course, if you want the chance to pick a different kind of apple, an Apple iPod for instance, you should head to some very specific orchards in Vermont. On September 15, Vermont is launching Apples to iPods 2009. If you find a hidden wooden apple, you win an Apple iPod.