I was thrilled this weekend when I woke up to the cool, humidity-free weather that the DC area was treated during the past few days. It felt so strange to dig through my closet for a jacket or scarf, and it was also weird to put some actual shoes on, instead of sandals or flip-flops. But, before I sound like I'm complaining, let me assure you...autumn is my absolute favorite time of year. I couldn't be more thrilled to see summer evaporate and take its sweaty days and humid evenings with it.

I think that where I grew up has a lot to do with the way I feel about fall/autumn. Speaking of the fall/autumn thing, I have no idea which is correct. Is it fall? Is it autumn? Does it matter?

Ah, okay. I checked Wikipedia. Fall is the North American slang term for "autumn," which is derived from the French word "automne."

But I digress. Fall (I suppose I should stay consistently North American here) was my favorite season growing up, simply because I lived in the most beautiful states in the U.S. for when fall rolled around. New York (upstate) and Massachusetts are at their most lovely during the fall season (winter is another story), and I adored when the weather got a little chilly and the air got crisp and clear. Massachusetts around fall was especially great: trips to the coast promised clear, blue skies, and the leaves started changing into dozens of different colors.

But, perhaps the best part about fall in New York, Massachusetts and even, yes, Virginia (where my family now lives) was the seasonal fruit. Aside from the obvious pumpkin picking, there were two other fruits that stood out: apples and cranberries.

Cranberry bogs are a huge crop for northern states in the U.S., but especially Massachusetts. Cranberry bogs are extremely pretty to look at, as they flooded in the fall around harvest time and the berries float on top of the water. I had many fun field trips to cranberry bogs in my formative years. See below.

Apple orchards were another exciting fall activity when I was young, living in New York, Massachusetts and then in Virginia, where we moved when I was 9. Apple orchards aren't what you might think: these orchards/farms put on huge productions come fall, complete with hay rides, pick-your-own deals, small restaurants on site, gift shops, etc.

When I was in eighth grade in Virginia, my tiny class of seven people (I went to an Adventist elementary school, okay?!) picked apples during the fall to raise money for our class trip. This sounds like a great activity for overactive 14-year-olds, but placing hard-working teens in an orchard filled with delicious Fuji apples was probably not the smartest of fundraisers. Nearly everyone got sick that evening from eating, on average, 6 or 7 apples apiece. We did pick a lot though: we just ate quite a bit too.

Now that I'm in Maryland, I long for the nostalgic apple picking, pumpkin searching, cranberry bog watching of my younger years. Luckily, with a bit research, I have uncovered the perfect spot in which to take a day on the weekend:

Baugher Apple Orchard and Packing House, in Westminster, Md., offers wagon rides, hayrides, "Fall Fun Days," and the holy grail: apple picking. They provide containers for you, and you can ride on their wagons to the field to do your picking.

Oh, oh, and the best part about Baugher's Apple Orchard? They have a "homestyle food" restaurant. The menu sounds pretty spectacular (lots of calories and carbs, just like Virginia's "homestyle" culinary delights). And, if you aren't in the mood for a full meal, their bakery offers dozens-and I mean dozens-of types of pies. Personally, I think the black raspberry and blackberry pies sound pretty delicious, and uhh, the butterscotch cream pie sounds like heart-attack-on-a-plate.

Anyone want to come with me on a road trip?

Labels: Jaclyn Wile, student blog