Apples
October in Minnesota means it’s Apple Season!!! From the nationally beloved Honey Crisp, to the crisp and tart Haralson, to the locally coveted new variety Zestar; anyone can find a variety of Minnesota apple they enjoy. The best way to find your favorite variety is to head straight to the source – an apple orchard. There are a variety of great local orchards in Minnesota that allow you to pick your own apples and some even offer fun activities for the family. Below are a few of the local orchards you could check out with your family this fall.
Aamodt’s Apple Farm – Located in Stillwater, MN. This orchard offers a variety of activities for kids including, tractor rides, hay bale maze and mountain, hay wagon rides, and a goat farm. They also have a great gift shop with apple butter, pies, jams, and ciders.
Pine Tree Orchards – Located in White Bear Lake, MN. This sustainable orchard offers strawberries during the summer as well as pumpkins and apples in the fall. They also offer weekend entertainment of a corn maze, wagon rides, and pony rides. The Pine Tree Orchard shop offers caramel apples, baked goods, cider, gifts, and more.
Minetonka Orchards – Located in Minetrista, MN. This family run farm offers a large variety of family fun including hay rides, a play train, corn maze, walking trail, and a corn crib slide. They also have a large gift shop, which includes a variety of baked goods and gifts.
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Jamie Bain is a Health and Nutrition Extension Educator for the East Metro. Her passions are working with youth, local foods access, and cooking healthy delicious food (preferably from the garden!). She believes that communities are only as healthy as their food systems. Before working with Extension, she worked for a variety of nonprofit organizations in the metro area with a focus of holistic health for all and received her Master’s degree in Public Health Nutrition from the University of Minnesota in 2006. You can link to the Extension Health and Nutrition website at: http://www.extension.umn.edu/health/
