Adventures at Fenway Park...Orchard That Is...

No, I didn't visit Fenway Park the baseball stadium, I visited Fenway Park Orchards in Morristown, Arizona.  Allen and Carol Way, avid Red Sox fans, have owned the property for over 39 years and started an orchard here in the desert.  They greeted us when we arrived to pick fruit and showed us the best places to pick.  We missed the blackberries, but today the White Peaches and Anna Apples were ripe and ready for picking.  So, let the orchard adventures begin!

We started the day early to beat the summer heat.  Once we got to picking, it was a fun time and we liked that we checked each peach we picked, ensuring it's ripeness. Even Baby Boy got in on the action from the baby backpack.

 

I've come to learn that unlike his big brother, Baby Boy LOVES fruit.  He definitely took the opportunity to eat lots of juicy, organic peaches.  Just look at him test out his chompers on this one.

While we were picking the peaches, I took the opportunity to remind my Not So Little Man of John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."  I explained how the fruit is coming from the branch which is fed by the tree.  It could not bear fruit and would be dead if it was apart from the tree. This branch was so overloaded with fruit, I wanted to point out how we should strive to be as this branch and bear much fruit.  I love that God reminds us of his word in everyday things.

After we had picked about a million White Peaches (I see cobbler, sauces and chutneys in my future!), we moved onto the apple orchards.  The Anna Apples were ripe today, so we filled our basket with those.  The Anna Apple is sweet, slightly tart, crisp with a creamy white flesh.  I think these babies have applesauce and pie written all over them! 

Our entire time at the orchard was filled with fun and nature.  We were surrounded by butterflies, squirrels, and lizards.  I'm not sure if my Not So Little Man had more fun picking or chasing lizards.  In any event, this was a neat trip to spend time together and to remind my children of where our food comes from.  On the drive home, Not So Little Man stated that this was his new favorite place to buy apples as he devoured two of them, still warm from the sun.  I have to say, I agree with him.