As fall weather starts to arrive I think back to the time when my family used to go apple picking in Michigan. Now that we live in Charlottesville, VA I have discovered some great places within a 15-30 minute drive to drop by and purchase some apples already picked or to pick my own.
In Crozet just a few miles from Foxfield Inn a great apple and peach orchard can be found at Henley’s Orchard. They have been a family owned and operated business since 1932. They have quite a few different apple varieties to choose from in their apple shed. We enjoyed their peaches this summer and look forward to serving their apples here at the inn. I just got done making a Butterscotch Apple Bar that is simply delicious! It uses some of their great Granny Smith apples. Of course for eating as a fresh apple nothing can compare to the Henley Golds.
Also in Crozet, a bit further beyond Henley’s Orchard is Chiles’s Peach Orchard. OK, while you may think they only have peaches since that is in their name they are also known for their apples and pumpkins in the fall. They have a great pumpkin patch which is fun to wander through in October and pick your own to take home. I haven’t been to Chiles for apple picking but based on their fruit availability calendar you can pick your own Granny Smith and Fuji apples in late-September and October. If you don’t want to pick your own apples they do have quite a few varieties for you to select from in their farm stand.
And if you are going to Monticello you might want to stop by their sister orchard – Carter Mountain Orchard – to get some apples. Every weekend in October they have an Apple Harvest Celebration that is very popular. If you are here mid-week you might want to stop by and pick up some apples without having to negotiate the crowds on the weekend. Of course at Carter Mountain you can pick many varieties of apples – currently Jonagolds and Golden Delcious are ready for you to pick.
Whichever orchard you visit you are bound to have a good time talking with the teams of people working the orchard. So come stay with us at Foxfield Inn and head out to an orchard for some really great apples!
