Apple Picking!

There are many many places to pick apples around here. Of course the actual apple picking is only part of the experience of going to an orchard. It's got to be a nice cool day, not too many people, and maybe some other little attractions for the kids. One of our favorite places to go for all of this is Fairmount Fruit Farm in Franklin, MA. There are several great things about Fairmount Farm. Firstly, it is never packed with people like some places we've been. Also, they have many many varieties of apples including C's favorite, Honey Crisp. We love that you have to take a hay ride to the orchard, but you can get off the ride in wherever you want. As you ride there are signs showing you which type of apple (or pear) trees you are near. They have a cute little farm animal area with chickens, ducks, goats and sheep. You can buy food for the birds from a little machine, and there are Purell dispensers provided too. And lastly, they have a really awesome store. They sell tons of veggies, local honey, jams, pies, and even their own lamb.
So, when apple picking season rolls around again, consider this great little farm for a nice family excursion. We will definitely be going back!

Borderland State Park

Borderland Park in Easton, MA is gorgeous. Fall is definitely the best season for visiting. There are many levels of trails, some are definitely not kid friendly. But the milder trails are great for kids. A jogging stroller works fine on these trails, and kids will be entertained by the many dogs that are usually there. We've seen horses plenty of times too! There are big stretches of lawn that are great for Frisbee, playing catch or just letting the kids loose to run around. The lake is gorgeous too. There is a cute little stream and bridge that is just perfect for playing Pooh Sticks, or just for observing the water life.

Finding the Fun

I'm not a native New Englander, but since I have lived in Massachusetts for many years, and am now raising my kids here, I guess I am one now. One of the things I love about it here is the variety of things to do. And those things change with the seasons. This may not seem remarkable to most people, but after living in places that did not have changing seasons, it is very remarkable. I love that my family can go apple picking and pumpkin picking, we can play in the snow, enjoy the park on a breezy spring day and go to the beach. When I was a kid living in the Caribbean all we could do was go to the beach. And pull tails off lizards. In Alabama we did have snow once in awhile, but more of the sweep it off the steps with a broom variety.
So, I really like it here. And in the almost 6 years of being a parent, I've had the opportunity to explore some of the fabulous family friendly activities and locations that abound in our little corner of New England.