Bye Bye Barton

Over Columbus Day weekend, there was no soccer, so we made the most of a free Saturday and headed out for our annual apple picking trip.

For the past few years, we have been to Barton Orchards, so we headed there again - to discover they have made many changes. The most glaring one, was that they now charge $2 per person to get in (to pick apples???) and $10 per person for a "premium" ticket, which included the bouncy castle, go carts (that you have to peddle), etc. My kids like the bouncy thing, but no way am I paying $8 more for them to go on it - especially since we own one at home!

Since we were already there, I begrudgingly forked over the $2 each, after STANDING IN LINE behind a few bus loads of people to get to the entrance. The we took the hayride out to the orchard, where I was instantly stung by a wasp. In the past I would have just figured, "this is a farm" and been OK with it - but this year I was mad. "You'd think for 2 bucks a person, they could at least hang some yellow jacket catchers in the trees!"

It turned out OK, we walked way out to the far trees (for Macouns) and it seemed like no one else was interested in the walk, because that part of the orchard was empty. We ate our lunch - smuggled in, because they now no longer allow coolers (I have a Wild Oats insulated bag, that probably doesn't look like it's for food.) Then we picked our apples, and enjoyed the morning there.

I had realized on the way up there, that I'd forgotten the camera and we've already eaten through our 25lb bag of apples. So next week I'll throw the kids in the car and we'll go and try Stuart's Orchard. Several of our friends went there this year. NO circus - just apples. We'll eat, wander, pick our apples, take pictures and come home happy.