apple picking

October 9, 2012 - Daniel's parents, aka Gram and Papa, were visiting us this weekend to watch Charlie's soccer game.  After the game, we headed to Ellijay, GA, for the Apple Festival.  Once we got through the initial traffic, we parked and walked around downtown Ellijay.  The festival was not as impressive as we thought it would be but there were some great craft booths and it was a cute little downtown.  We made an ice cream stop...

and then headed to the Red Apple Barn for some apple picking.  This stop was a no-brainer because well...let's see how to best explain it...my good friend, Emma, who attends church with us here in Marietta, is engaged to Joel.  Joel's parents own the Red Apple Barn in Ellijay.  There.  That did it, I hope.  Anyway, we loaded up on a tractor-pulled wagon and were taken out into the orchard to pick our own apples.

Charlie was all about picking apples and Philip just followed suit.  You had to watch your footing as you went as there were apples everywhere but picked our share nonetheless...

There were many tall ladders throughout the orchard and the boys climbed every one we came to...

We picked our bag full (and a few extras) and headed back.  What fun we had!  This is definitely a place to visit again!

After our apple picking excursion, we went the next weekend over to the Moore's to cook the apples!  Kathy had borrowed a nifty contraption that cored and peeled the apples which made work much easier.  The boys enjoyed this as well...

We made apple butter and a couple of apple desserts...to eat and for gifts.  It was all yummy!