It All Adds Up To a Hill of Beans

No, really, it does. A hill of beans and a mountain of apples.

And you’re wondering what the HECK I’m talking about. I know you are. It’s ok, it’ll all become clear in a moment. Clear as mud.

Yesterday, we rounded up the neighbours (or rather, they rounded us up) and we headed out to a local apple orchard for their “kick off fall” festival. We met early, grabbed a wagon with 2 bushel baskets and headed down the rows to pick sweet galas, tender cortlands and tangy jonathans. It was sunny and pretty and warm. Not overly “fall like”, but still lovely regardless. We picked a peck of pretty apples. (haha) And tasted a few as well.

The kids did really well selecting some of the nicest apples, and of course loved being lifted to reach the highest branches. At one point, I lifted Mouse up to reach a particularly pretty red jonathan, and we came eye-to-eye with a “golden ticket” for a free caramel apple. Jackpot!

Of course, then the hunt was on to find enough for all the kids. We found enough and more to share, which was a super bonus. After we almost filled 1.5 bushels of apples, we moved on to play in the haystacks and corn maze. The girls rode the toy tractor and swung on the swings, surrounded by apple trees, farm houses and corn fields. It was idyllic.

We learned that the orchard offered u-pick green beans, and since us Lefty girls love us some green beans, (Hubster despises them with a passion), we loaded up with a ½ bushel basket and headed down the dirt road to where there is a pond surrounded by cattails and a tree. Seriously, those were the directions. The girl who was directing me told me it was about ½ a mile walk. She suggested we drive with the kids because it was so far away. And then she asked me if I knew what cattails looked like. And what green beans looked like. Oy.

Despite thinking it might be a bit of a distance, it was a lovely day and we decided to walk. We had 4 adults, a 5 year old, 4 year old and 2 year old. We were expecting a bit of a trek, and already had Baboo on our shoulders in anticipation of the ½ mile walk, when we rounded a corner, oh, 100 meters from the store. In the distance, about ½ mile away, we saw a green house and figured that the green bean field would be there. But then Hubster stops and says “Hey, cattails and a pond!” We looked to our left and there they were, with a tree and a hand painted sign pointing to “Green Beans” just past the pond. It took us all of 3 minutes to get there. Certainly way less than ½ a mile. We all laughed in relief as we realized that a) we didn’t have to walk any further in the hot sun and b) we did NOT go through the hassle of trudging back to the car, putting kids in and out of car seats and crossing traffic to go 100 meters.

The beans were plentiful and delicious. I felt like I could have taken more home, but didn’t. But now I’m wondering if I should have. Was 5 lbs REALLY enough?? It only cost $4. Seriously. We came home with an enormous bag of perfect green beans. I think we ate a pound of them in the field too.

After that, we had lunch at the orchard. How we had room after apples and green beans, I have no idea. But the brats were yummy and had had been cooked in fresh apple cider before being grilled. Then we had desert by tasting the contest apple pies, while sitting under the shade of an enormous oak tree in front of a pretty little farm house.

I know, it sounds like some weird country-bumpkin fantasy world, but it’s all true.

On the way out, we stopped and traded in our tickets for our fresh caramel apples. They were pretty tasty. And sticky.

We came home dusty, dirty, hot (it was over 80F), sneezy (from the hay), sticky and a bit sun-kissed, but satisfied with a beautiful and fun day spent with family and friends.

Today, the girls and I washed, sorted, chopped, blanched and steamed a bunch of beans for freezing. Then we sorted out our apples and made a pie that turned out pretty well. I felt like homesteader Suzy homemaker with all my homey “puttin’ up”. We had fresh steamed beans with our BBQ chicken and baked potatoes tonight. Divine. The girls and I vowed to put in beans in our little garden next summer. Maybe not a whole field worth, but definitely some.

I know that later this winter, when it’s cold and nasty, we can pull out some of these delicious beans just waiting to be devoured in our freezer, to have with our dinner and remember the fun day we had picking them.