Every year our family likes to get together to go apple picking during the Fall season. We make an entire day of it. We start off at the apple orchard picking the apples and aftewards we head to a local restaurant for a late lunch. It’s a great way to get outside into the fresh air and for some much needed exercise. If you plan on going out to pick apples, here’s some great tips to remember.

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1. Dress appropriately for the weather conditions.

2. Wear comfortable walking shoes! You’ll be on your feet the entire time. I recommend wearing “older shoes”  that you don’t care if they get dirty.

3. Take sunscreen and apply it 20-30 minutes before heading out into the field.

4. Insects can be a big problem! You’ll want to bring along insect repellent…especially one that keeps mosquitoes away.

5. If you have heavy duty canvas shopping totes bring them along. Don’t have any? Cardboard boxes will work too. At the orchard that we visit…they place the picked apples into large paper totes which always rip and fall apart. We now bring along our own bags & boxes!

6. Bring along plenty of bottled water and snacks. You want to stay hydrated while you’re there.

7. Bringing along small children? Please note that baby strollers don’t work well out in the orchard. Keep that in mind when planning your day.

8. Prep your vehicle! I lay down an old plastic drop cloth in the back of my SUV. All of the bags and boxes of apples are placed on top. I don’t want dirt and mud tracked inside my car. Make sure you have available space inside your vehicle so that the bags/boxes will remain flat. You don’t want them tipping over and sliding around. Bruised fruit ripens quickly.

9. Clean-up! I always take along a pack of wet wipes and hand sanitizer when we go. You and the kids will get dirty! After loading up the car you can quickly clean-up before getting in.