I assume it takes a lot to be dubbed as Americas most beautiful farm, a title that is sure to attract people from all walks of life. For me all it took was the promise of a trip to Pumpkin Village and all the apples I could eat, the beauty was just an added perk.
After a less than exciting trip to Amish country I was thrilled to let my inner child fly free at Mapleside Farms. For $6 whole dollars I threw my adult pants in the garbage and gave each child at the farm a run for their money. The coffee I drank at 5:30 pm may have helped me get wild, but I can neither confirm nor deny that.
I made sure to get all 600 pennies worth of my ticket to Pumpkin Village and hit each of the stops. After jumping on a giant pillow with a gaggle of children, it was time to ride “the longest slide in America.”
The slide led to the party at the bottom of the hill with activities that made me squeal louder than a hog in heat.
Duck racing
Hay rides
Corn mazes
Pig rides
You didn’t think I meant real pigs did you?
We were the only adults sans children in the pig mobiles.
Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, I gorged myself on apples.
I ate at least 4.
One of my favorite memories of the apple orchard actually happened days later while I was on a plane heading back home. We were suck waiting for a handful of other planes to take off and sat inside the plane for an hour before actually taking off.
An older gentleman to my left stood up to get some food from his bag just as we were ready to take off, and was asked to sit back down. He seemed somewhat panicked as he stated that he needed something to eat because he had stomach problems. All he was offered was water, so I offered him an apple.
He graciously accepted the apple, and proceeded to take at least six photos of his shiny green fruit. Anyone that takes photos of their food gets a gold star of approval.
I lugged my (1/2)peck of apples all the way from Ohio to Washington in a carry on with ambitious thoughts of apple pie, apple crisps, applesauce and more. Instead, I ended up baking my apples and plopping them right onto multiple bowls of oats.
It tasted like apple pie, but was half the work.
Mapleside farms gave me my first taste of fall for the year, and I can’t wait to check out some farms around my area. I only hope I get the chance to ride more mechanical animals.
Q: Have you done any fall activities yet? Next on my list is a pumpkin patch and a you-pick apple orchard.
43 thoughts on “Americas Most Beautiful Farm”
Amy @ A Desert Girl
Ahh, this looks so fun! I’m glad that you were able to pay it forward with the apple for the guy on the plane too.
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy
What a pretty place. And baked apple oats? That would go down VERY well right now. I need comfort food.
Brittany
My favorite part about the oats…it’s so simple and the natural sugar from the apple is all you need!! It takes plain oats to another level.
PR-Bike
It may very well be the most fun farm in the world, but I would throw some of our Virginia and Maryland farms up against it in the Beautiful category. That is not to denigrate its loveliness, but only to moderate that “vote.” 😆 I must have missed my ballot in the mail. Glad you had such a terrific adventure.
Brittany
This farm was definitely beautiful, but I have to agree that perhaps the vote was skewed. I would throw some of my beloved Washington farms in the mix too! 🙂
kathy at more coffee, less talky
our city fair is happening this weekend and i can’t wait!! hopefully the weather will hold up but i’m looking forward to hay rides, corn mazes…the works!
shellybartz
You are such a nut! I love that you rode in the pigs! So fun!
How did you bake that apple? Just core and add some cinnamon?
Brittany
Yep! Core it, and stuff it with cinnamon! I also added a little bit of coconut sugar, but it definitely doesn’t need it. For a real treat a bit of brown sugar will do too, but again totally not necessary! I baked for about 30 minutes at 375.
whostardis
that looks like so much fun…ok and i totally thought you ment a real pig…its that kind of day lol. ohh a legit pumpkin patch would be so fun! you are really getting in those fall activities!!
Diane @ Life of Di.
That apple oatmeal!!! OH MY GOSH! Yum. I totally need to try that for breakfast.
Also – I love little farms like this. We have one just outside of Columbus that I love going to. I can’t wait to take Charlotte to the pumpkin patch 🙂
Rach @ This Italian Family
This is AWESOME! And so cheap! I want to go there and do every single one of those things. Also, for the record, I DID think you meant that there would be actual pigs being ridden and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. The mechanical animals, though… that’s awesome!
Atheria
Your life looks like so much fun! Can we trade? 😇
Brittany
I figure life’s too short to not have fun right!?
Ellie
My first (and only so far) fall activity was running during a downpour this morning. I like your fall festivities better! 🙂
The Hungry Mum
what a fun outing! Love the pig ride 😉 And how lovely that the man on the plane also appreciated your fresh apples.
fionajarrett
Ahhh…how amazing was that slide? Looks like so much fun.Corn mazes, duck races and pigs with big happy faces…so simple but so brilliant. And apples. Can’t go wrong with apples. Baked apples are delicious & also go really well with some sultanas thrown in with them or over yogurt…yum!
wanderwolf
How do you bake your apples? That looks soooo tasty!
Brittany
It’s soooOOOooO simple. Just core the apple and make sure all the seeds are out, stuff it with cinnamon and a sprinkle of coconut sugar (or brown sugar) and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. The added sugar isn’t necessary, but makes for a bit of a sweeter treat. 🙂
wanderwolf
Thanks! I cut out sugar, but a baked apple sounds SO delicious!
P
I wish I could get into the fall mood but it still feels like July here in Cali! Oh well…I’ll experience it vicariously through your pictures 🙂
GiGi Eats Celebrities
UGH. I KNOW!
Kayse
This looks like so much fun!!! There’s a sort of similar place near-ish to me that my friend and I went to one fall and now we take my nieces. I loooove getting really into it and playing the games and going on the hay rides! Yeahhhhh, fall!
GiGi Eats Celebrities
I want one of those signs telling people where to go. I would put it in my apartment right where you enter…
Where GiGi shits her weight in food
^ – Where GiGi snuggles with her pillow & Gilbert
“And over there” – Where GiGi spends her days making an ass of herself in front of her camera.
Brittany
“Where Gigi chews gum by the pack.”
“Where Gigi bakes squash by the pound.”
“Where Gigi texts her twin Brittany everyday.”
Jess @hellotofit
This post, besides making me giggle, is getting me SO SO SO excited for fall!
Shawna
whyyyyy didn’t you take me with you?! this looks absolutely autumn-lovely. i just love the farm/ orchard/ harvest scene and am hoping it doesn’t rain this wknd b/c i’m trying to get myself to an orchard upstate at some point! that baked apple over oats idea is ingenious. must try that.
familyrulesbyplainjane
I’ll be making apple pie this weekend. My bro is coming in from CA 🙂
50statecanuck
OMG. I Soooooooooooooooo want to go on that slide!!!!!!!
Kat
I have GOT to find some place like this! Holy freaking fun! Now that Im moving out of the city I am so ready to explore my little town 🙂
Heather @ HeatherRunsFast.com
What a cool place! Makes me happy that you rode the pigs… our inner kid is a fun thing! And the apples look delish. I would’ve eaten them all on the plane ride home, haha. Happy FALL!
Amanda @ .running with spoons.
Does eating copious amounts of pumpkin and cinnamon flavoured things count as a fall activity? Because I’ve been doing a tonne of that. But I seriously need to NOT miss the apple boat this year and head out to an orchard. I always end up thinking of it after the season is over and missing out.
Brittany
You betchur britches that counts!! I’ve been upping my pumpkin and cinnamon intake too. This place was great, but we weren’t able to pick our own apples sadly. SO I am on the hunt for a farm where I CAN pick my own!
Amy
Oh my gaaaah, I’m so jealous!! I totally would’ve ridden those pigs too… I’m definitely a kid at heart. Your baked apples with oatmeal are totally calling my name! Unfortunately, apples are one of the “trigger” foods that make my tummy look like Santa Claus. Boo. Eat some more for me, okay? 😉
Brittany
UGH! So sad about the apples.
stateeats
Literally laughing out loud that you were the only ones w/o kids on the pigs. You go girl. Let your inner kid rule! – Kat
Allie Zottola
Duck racing! Oh my goodness is that adorable!! I love all the fall activities! I was supposed to go to a corn maze but it was cancelled today due to bad weather. I’m hoping to pick (and eat…) pumpkins soon 🙂
Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets
I am so glad we consumed our massive cups of coffee at 5 p.m., even if it meant you were up half the night. That farm was amazing!! Did I tell you? My work is hosting an event there this month, which includes all the apples you can eat. You should come. You could be my date.
I didn’t know that story about the little old man on the plane, and I kind of love it. How fantastic!
Brittany
OH MY, your work event is enough to tempt me to come back! I will be back, but I mean tempting me to come NOW! That coffee was fantastic, you are my favorite, and I will never forget this adventure with the pigs. I almost texted you the story about the man on the plane, but I knew I would blog it so I didn’t. Surprises for all. 🙂
jejansonius
So far for fall activities I have used my crockpot at LEAST twice, I have enjoyed many chilly mornings with a cup of coffee, yum. I want to get to a pumpkin patch around here and go through a real corn maze of which I have never done yet! I also want to eat chili, lots of chili. yum.
Brittany
Chili sounds so good…I haven’t had a bowl in TOO LONG!
jejansonius
I KNOW! YUM! I love wendys chili too haha
Nicole @ Foodie Loves Fitness
Looks like fun! I absolutely love picking apples at the orchard, and try to do it every autumn. I was bummed because I checked around a week or two ago to see about picking in the area in SoCal known for its apple orchards, and it turns out that none of the small family farms there produced enough apples to open up their U-Pick for the year. So sad right?!
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