Autumn Adventures
Monday, September 14, 2009
There's no denying it; autumn seems to have come to Fairfield County a bit early this year. Time to trade in your beach towels for apple bushels, your bikini for some dungarees. Area orchards are bursting with the juiciest fruits that are, you guessed it, ripe for the picking. Whether you want to make a day of it, or you only have an hour to fill, there's a Connecticut orchard that has your family's fun written all over it. Suzy's picked a couple of her favorites to share with you.
Lyman Orchards, Middlefield, CT—About a 50 minute drive from Westport, Lyman Orchards is bucolic bliss at its best. Lyman Orchards packs an autumn day punch that's sure to send you home with armloads of apples (perfect for pie making!) and enough fresh air to zonk the kids out in the car on the way home. Don't miss their three acre sunflower maze. You've never seen a better backdrop for a family photo. At the nexus of this enormous farm is a country market worthy of the Hamptons, minus the attitude. Everything is fresh—the apple cider, the cinnamon bread and the chocolate chip cookies. You can even enjoy your made to order lunch next to the pond. If you have any energy left, you can run the kiddos through the corn maze (proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society) to ensure a peaceful ride home. Currently picking: apples and pears.
Lyman Orchards
Located at the junction of Routes 147 and 157 (Suzy said it was a little bit country)
Middlefield, CT
All the information you need is at www.lymanorchards.com or you can call 860-349-1793.
Silverman's Farm, Easton, CT—Jump on the Merritt, hop off at exit 46, and you've just about made it to Silverman's Farm, home of the area's best animal farm (sorry Orwell fans, no pigs to pet this year, thanks to Swine Flu fears). Besides boasting goats, donkeys and deer for the little ones to enjoy, Silverman's has acres and acres of orchards filled with apples just begging to be picked. Their quaint country market has all the maple syrup you need for a Sunday brunch, plus some delicious preserves. And you can be there and back again, with bushels of apples picked in between, in under 2 hours. Currently picking: apples, apples, apples!
Silverman's Farm
451 Sport Hill Road
Easton, CT
Visit www.silvermansfarm.com or call 203-261-3306 for all the details.
