Celebrate Apple Season

National Apple Month may be in October, but most local orchards launch apple-picking season in September and many run out of apples by the time October comes around, so don’t miss out! Here are fun ways to usher in apple season.

Pick Apples

Did you know? San Diego Family Magazine staff communicate with local apple orchard owners to get the most up-to-date information about when their apple-picking seasons start and end. Flip to page 27 to see which orchards open first and check our website regularly for updates: www.sandiegofamily.com/ things-to-do/seasonalhappenings/apple-pickingsan-diego.

Eat apples in salads, with nut butter, with cheese, on charcuterie boards or all by themselves. Or, bake and cook with apples. Find a bushel of delicious apple recipes at www.sandiegofamily.com/things-to-do/diningand-recipes/apple-recipe-round-up such as:

• Apple Smoothie Bowls (perfect while it’s still hot outside!)

• Apple Pie Filling in a Jar

• Apple Strudel

• Baked Apples

• Apple Cake with Dulce de Leche Frosting

• Apple Blackberry Upside-Down Cake

• The list goes on…

Drink apple cider. So much goodness in one cup.

Plant an apple tree. Late fall planting can be successful in areas where winter is mild.

Do a taste test with several apple varieties to discover what your family likes best. Gravenstein, Jonathan, Granny Smith, McIntosh, Pippin, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp or…? Graph your results!

Make apple prints to decorate the house. Cut apples in half, dip in paint, press onto cardstock.

Go bobbing for apples. If you start practicing now, you’ll be ready when the neighborhood Halloween party rolls around. Tip: Don’t be afraid to get your face wet—or dunk your whole head. v

Managing editor Lisa Gipson looks forward to making homemade applesauce and apple crisp.