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DISCLAIMER: Due to the challenges of COVID-19, our beloved New England businesses are taking a proactive approach in minimizing the spread of the virus. Please be aware the events in the below post may not be up-to-date as state-to-state and individual guidelines fluctuate daily. Before venturing out, be sure to check the official website or Facebook page of the business linked below for updates. 

You haven’t experienced a true New England fall until you’ve ventured out to one of our many apple orchards to partake in the longstanding tradition of apple picking. This past weekend my sister, Mom and I headed into New York City to look at colleges; and decided to make a pit stop at an infamous apple orchard in Fairfield County. We aren’t often down in Fairfield County, so I was eager to take advantage of our location and taste test a couple freshly baked cider donuts. 

We drove from Stamford to Shelton and easily found the farm sitting upon a quintessential backroad in New England. Ironically enough our timing was perfect because Beardsley Cider Mill, only allows pickers to enter their orchards during the weekend; which is good to know if you’re planning a trip here. Before heading into the orchard fields we decided to stop inside their store, to get more information about the orchard and snag some cider donuts. 

Once we were inside the store, we were instantly welcomed with the smell of apple cider, as this apple farm is also a full fledge Cider Mill. You could watch their machines press, crunch and squeeze buckets of apples to keep up with the demand of their cider. Their apple cider is actually the reason why they shut down their orchard to pickers come Monday through Friday; during those days the farmers harvest their apples to have on standby for their locally adored cider. 

While in their store I couldn’t help but snag a few, or let’s say a half dozen, cider donuts. Their cider donuts were straight out of the oven and soft to the touch, so we decided to enjoy our first tastes of fall by finding a quiet spot in the shade by their barn. We sat down and enjoyed a well-deserved snack after a long day in New York. Once we finished off the donuts we got up and headed to the orchards to do some picking. 

Now can I just say, this apple orchard meant business. I have never in my life seen apples this big and this early in the season, at a local Connecticut orchard. These apples were perfect, I kid you not, and we quickly filled up two bags worth of apples before heading back to the car. My Mom even joked that we’ll be driving back down this weekend to pick some more, as we didn’t realize the farm was cash only. Overall it was the perfect day and by the end of it, I was exhausted. 

I was, however, thankful that I decided to wear this Donna Morgan dress as we had a freak heatwave. It was around ninety degrees; so I left my go-to apple orchard look, jeans and hunter boots in my closet and went with something more breathable. I love wearing ivory dresses in fall, they are easy to pair with your typical fall shoes like brown mules, booties or even riding boots and are easy to transition from day to night. With all that being said, I’m thankful for the last few warm days as we prepare to head into much cooler weather this weekend. 

Okay, now I want to hear from you, which apple orchard is your go-to? And are you more of an apple cider or cider donut kind of person. Let me know below. 

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