Apple Picking, Beer Drinking and Meadow Baking

It is the season of apple picking. We prefer to go on Friday nights to avoid the crowds. This year we tried out Amodt's Apple Farm. We picked the kids up from school and headed right over.

I'd photographed the cidery and winery here a few years back.

Apple picking is too easy.

It takes literally 5 minutes.

Before you knew it, we were already more than done.

We promised the kids caramel apples but they didn't have any. They picked out some other treats instead.

They also had Thor's Hard Cider on site but we were waiting on beer later.

Theo got a turnover and I got a fritter (which was a bit stale tbh).

While we were at the orchard I looked up brew pubs nearby and found a new place in Hudson.

Pitchfork Brewing. Not only a brewery but also a smokehouse specializing in Midwest tavern-style pizza.

Good Oktoberfest.

Better pizza.

We may have over ordered again, but at least we'd have leftovers.

We'll have to take Brooke's parents next time they come to town.

Our night wasn't over yet. There was ice cream to be had. I have been wanting to try Connie's Creamy Cone in St Paul all summer.

The kids looked through all the twist options.

Typical soft serve. Not bad.

But they have like 30 different soft serve flavors.

The next day was all things apple. Starting with apple pancakes.

Well, we had way too many apples at this point.

Theo helped me make apple chips.

Which he would immediately scarf down.

After making apple chips Theo and I built a fort upstairs.

I don't really remember building forts. Meadow and Theo would just turn our house into a fort if they could.

Then Meadow started apple pie.

Theo has been doing really well in school learning his letters and learning to write his name. He still needs practice in writing his full name.

And putting his shirts on the right way.

I demonstrated that rolling pie crust is actually easy.

This apple pie became a family affair.

Later Meadow made homemade pretzels to go with our sour cabbage, apple and sausage dinner.

I waxed our wooden sled to get it ready for winter. Looks like this will be the last year it's used. Sad.

The kids got their caramel apples though it was kind of a fail.

The second attempt, not pictured, was great actually.

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