It’s Apple-Picking Time!

IMG_1874A fun and tasty fall family outing for kids of all ages, apple picking season now is in full swing. Many orchards will stay open through October, or until all of the apples are gone.

This has been a great season in Kansas City for apple picking! The trees are plentiful right now and should be for several more weeks.

Growing up in Kansas City, apple picking was always a favorite memory. Now, heading out to the orchard in September is a great tradition I’m sharing with my own children. We started an annual outing with a group of friends and after three years, the number of apple pickers has nearly doubled.

Here are a few tips for making the most of your apple picking adventure:

• Call ahead to make sure there are plenty of apples to pick! We made this mistake last year – we arrived and the trees were pretty bare. While we still had fun, our kids were disappointed that they didn’t have many apples to bring home.

• Wear comfortable clothing and shoes. To reach the trees that haven’t yet been picked over, you might be doing a bit of walking.

• Examine the apples before you purchase! Finally, this year my son understood the concept of checking for “bug holes.” Let the animals enjoy those and you can take home some apples you will actually want to eat.

• Come prepared for a full experience. Apple picking is more than just searching for IMG_1897apples to pull off a tree. Many of the farms offer train or hay rides for the family along with a few other activities including petting zoos. They also have fantastic stores full of products, many made right on site. I usually buy a few jars of jelly and my son loves the apple cider slush and honey sticks. It’s also a great way to support our local farms.

Now that you’re ready to go, here are a few of our favorite spots. They are all family-owned farms and each offer unique and wonderful experiences. Don’t forget to call first, check their websites or Facebook pages to make sure they are open and have plenty of apples left on the trees!

Alldredge Orchards
Open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. -5 p.m.
10455 Highway N., Platte City, MO.

Cider Hill Family Orchard
Open Thursday- Saturday 9 a.m.- 5 p.m., Sunday from 12-5 p.m.
3341 N. 139th, Kansas City, KS

Weston Red Barn Farm
Open daily from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.,
Fall Festival activities available on Saturday and Sunday.
16300 Wilkerson Road, Weston, MO.

Another fun place to visit is Louisburg Cider Mill. While you can’t pick apples there, the delicious cider alone is worth a trip. They hold an annual Ciderfest event, which includes live music, cider and donut-making, a craft fair and pony rides. This year’s Ciderfest is taking place on September 27-28 and October 4-5 from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. at 14730 K68 Highway, Louisburg, KS.

About the author: Melisa is currently a stay-at-home mom living in Prairie Village, doing a little freelance writing/editing/marketing on the side. Originally from Kansas City, she lived in a few cities on the West Coast before meeting her husband in Portland. A few months after their son was born, they decided to return to her roots so they could to be closer to her family. Now a mom to three-year-old G, one-year-old Sim, and a shaggy mutt name Larry, she loves finding new places to explore and visiting old favorites. She’s a lifelongRoyals fan and is excited that they’re finally contenders again!

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