Updated: 11/3/25
Apple picking and leaf peeping are two of our favorite fall traditions, filled with fond memories of crisp air, colorful trees, and laughter with friends and families. Over the years, we've visited quite a few orchards - Hilltop Orchards in the Berkshires and Honey Pot Hill Orchard in Stow are among our favorites. There's just something special about wandering through the rows, picking your own apples, and soaking in the beauty of a perfect fall day.
Apple picking and leaf peeping are two of our favorite fall traditions, filled with fond memories of crisp air, colorful trees, and laughter with friends and families. Over the years, we've visited quite a few orchards - Hilltop Orchards in the Berkshires and Honey Pot Hill Orchard in Stow are among our favorites. There's just something special about wandering through the rows, picking your own apples, and soaking in the beauty of a perfect fall day.
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| Hilltop Orchard in the Berkshires |
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| You can walk or ride the tractor wagon to the trees |
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| Resistance is futile ... on these yummy apple cider donuts |
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| Pick the apples yourself or buy them from the store |
At Honey Pot Hill, the cider donuts were even better than Hilltop's, and the farm animals delighted both kids and adults alike.
This year’s COVID-19 restrictions kept us from heading up north, so I brought fall to us inst.ead. I picked up some Cameo apples at a local farm stand, got a few Pink Ladies from our neighbors. Just a few days later, I spotted a sale at Ingles—our local supermarket—on Honeycrisp apples. What cook could possibly resist? Normally priced at nearly three times the cost of other varieties, these delicate, crunchy gems were a steal at just $1.29 a pound! After diving into an article about them, I finally understand why Honeycrisps are both pricey and wildly popular. You can learn more about the fascinating history of the Honeycrisp apple here.
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| Honeycrisp apples, cut and in basket 3 Cameo on left, 2 Pink Lady on right |
Between the freshly picked ginkgo nuts and a basket of pecans, my kitchen’s looking like a fall buffet. But don’t worry—I’ve got big plans for those apples (looking at you, apple cider and apple turnovers!).
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| fan-shaped leaves on a Gingko tree on a beautiful fall day |
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| Picking Gingko nuts that had fallen on the ground |
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| Washed and dried gingko nuts, pecans in the back |
What are your favorite fall activities?
This post is shared on Skywatch Friday, My Corner of the World, Slices of Life and Art*Journal*Journey.
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