Temperatures dipped considerably last week, and it felt like fall instead of summer for the very first time. We decided to get in the spirit this weekend and drive up to nearby Apple Hill–a concentration of ranchers and growers in the Sierra Nevada foothills, halfway between Sacramento and South Lake Tahoe. A sunny Saturday in October, two weekends before Halloween meant we were certainly not alone in our quest for Cider donuts, crisp apples, cider, and pumpkins. The area is so vast, however, that there were plenty of places both busy and quiet to enjoy–and we found just what we were looking for, in abundance.
A few of our favorite stops:
Smokey Ridge Charcuterie (Grower #133), where we picked up a bag of Mutsu apples and a picnic of pates and duck prosciutto to go. They had delicious jams and mustards for sale and ripening chestnut trees for U-Pick around the barn.
Rainbow Orchards (Grower #10), where delicious cider donuts are only come made-to-order. So warm and fresh and wonderful.
Apple Ridge Farm (Grower #20), which had a little pumpkin patch, hay maze, and petting zoo for Hudson to enjoy–but was sort of a zoo itself. Still, it was a great stop for Hudson.
Update: My boots are the “Laverdiere” boot by Aldo
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