Every year tradition has it in the O'Quilts' household, that we go for apples. Recently we have discovered, Windy Hill Orchard, in York, South Carolina. It is a nice 45 minute drive from Charlotte. Sometimes we bring the grandchildren to see the chickens and pigs....last year there were baby piglets, but more often my husband and I go for the annual outing ourselves. After the apple selection, we go for a nice lunch at The Garden Cafe, right there in York...love those fried green beans! Today, Himself went alone, since I cannot ride in a car more than 20 minutes. With his back, I was grateful that even he could go.
This year the Gusmer family said that there was a 50% increase in price due to terrible drought conditions across apple country. They said that the Michigan apples did not harvest and other places too. They had received calls to bring tractor trailers to NC to get our apples, but there were having harvesting problems here as well. Budget minded Mr. O"Quilts said that with $30 a half bushel instead of $20, he almost did not get them. He did though and got these: Rustic Gold, Winesap and Gala. We will be freezing his awesome homemade applesauce for the winter. In middle October, we will go back for the Pink Lady brought in from NY which will last in the garage refrigerator until spring.
Loosing no time at all the Mr. has the applesauce already in the pot...Mom's 60 year old Revere ware...does a fine job.
