Fall Harvest

photos © Marie Doucette

Another benefit for those of us lucky enough to live in the Northeast part of America, is the bounty from the fall harvest. New York is known for its many varieties of delicious apples and autumn produce, as our farmers markets burst with great pickings.

When my family moved to the country, we spent autumns hiking, to view the changing foliage, and apple picking. I also tagged along with my Grandpa to buy apple cider from a local farm stand. He kept a jug of it outside our suburban house, on the patio, turning it into applejack. It was my introduction to process of fermentation.

So, I decided to revisit the orchard from my childhood, Dr. Davie's Farm. It's as gorgeous as I remembered; a beautiful, pastoral place unchanged through time. I was delighted to find the grounds in wonderful shape, preserved and tended with care, plus a thriving, working farm, buzzing with customers and orchard workers. The process of gathering apples remains unchanged; buy a bag for the fruit, then select an apple picker. 

The pickers' handle is a smoothed branch, with a bag that has wide prongs around the edge, attached to the top, for fitting between the branches and stems of the apple trees. With a slight twist, the apple dislodges from the branch to drop into the bag, or not, as you soon discover it can be a hit or miss operation. I was amazed at how easily I picked it up again.

Our suburban house was adjacent to a family farm. The backyard had six apple trees, remnants from the farm's orchard, perfect for climbing and constructing tree houses. We also had two cherry trees, and a raspberry bush that lived in the back corner of the property, near the farmers' honey bee hives. He grew corn, rhubarb, string beans, lettuce, which we picked with the children next door, on their families land. Eating fresh food, while sitting on the ground between the rows of crops, was an incredible way to experience produce.

As we walked the rows of trees, I couldn't help but smile at the festive, happy atmosphere of families engaged in harvesting. It's like a treasure hunt for kids! We passed child after child, grinning and biting into a fresh apple. What a wonderful feeling that is, to feel the sun shining on your face and the sweat on your brow, as you taste your first plucked apple. 

We learned to reap the rewards of our labor, and savor the fruits of it. The farm still produces this same effect on the children of today; to appreciate the finer things in life, while joining together as a community. Our society is not as corrupt as it sometimes portrayed. Children are the shared crop of our future, so let's tend to them well.

Enjoy the fruits of this season with your loved ones.

http://www.drdaviesfarm.com/history.htm