Moonshine & Wanderlust

... a cosmopolitan view from a southern perspective

Mercier Orchard

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Fall is coming to an end (I’m still in heavy denial) and I am happy to say I have checked a few things off of my Autumn Bucket List – I’m planning on checking off a few more in the next couple weeks as November closes. One of my favorite things I did (and the one I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to do!) was visit a picking apple orchard.

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Mercier Apple Orchard is located in Blue Ridge, GA. It’s a beautiful drive full of rolling hills and crisp fall colors lining the way. The weather was absolutely perfect the day I went and made for a very enjoyable afternoon. In my mind, I pictured a simple orchard with towering trees, but I was shocked at how large the operation is. Started in 1943, the family owned orchard not only has plentiful U-Pick opportunities, classes, fishing,and cooking demos but an enormous (and, delicious smelling) store complete with a deli that makes some of the most delectable sounding sandwiches.photo 2-3

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The views are magical – I can’t wait to go back this spring to U-Pick fruit… and maybe even do some fishing!
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I picked 1/2 peck to start me off and it turned out to be plenty of apples! We got a ride out to the orchards and given some instructions of what types of apples were ready for picking and we were off! The trees weren’t the towering variety I had imagined, but more stout which was fine by me because I didn’t have to worry about falling out of any trees. Not that I would have tried climbing, but you know… a girl can dream.

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The best part? Eat as you go! A sample of this, a sample of that…

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I got a few apples of each variety – they were all so good! It was really everything I had hoped it would be. That sounds corny, but it was a fun experience for this gal. There were a lot of families there – it’s a great outing for friends, families, couples… you can’t go wrong. For $10 you can spend a fun afternoon walking through rows of beautifully grown creations and make some lasting memories.

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You know I have to throw in if Mercier Orchard is pet friendly or not… While pets are not allowed in the orchard, they are allowed around the lake and near the store. I saw several individuals with small pups hanging outside of the store while they enjoyed their fall day walking around the property and waiting on others in their party.

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Be sure to check our Mercier Orchards Events on the Farm page for upcoming events and a schedule of U-Pick varieties!

until next time… xoxo, patty lauren

Morris Vineyard and Winery

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What screams a summer evening more than meandering through rows of vineyard vines, plucking ripe juicy berries from the bud and dropping them down into a plastic bucket? I think berry picking is one of the quintessential summer activities, especially in the south and I’m so excited to share my adventure with you!

I came on the berry picking scene a little late this year, so as my friends and I headed to Morris Vineyard and Winery in Charleston, Tennessee, we knew our picking options would be a little limited. The drive to the vineyard is quiet and winding, but not short of breathtaking scenery.

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 The view, which overlooks the Appalachian Mountains, is breathtaking in only the way raw country scenes can be.

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When you get to the vineyard, you check in at a little lodge to get your bucket. Or, if you are there for wine tasting, you can go inside and check out the rustic accommodations and test their variety of wines – they even carry supplies to make your own wine! Pretty cool, huh?

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During this time of year, Muscadines are the only fruit we thought we would be able to pick, but the gentleman working that day told us they had had a late bloom of raspberries (yippee!), so we decided to pick a little of both.

If you’ve never had a muscadine they are… unusual. They are a part of the grape family but a little more, as my friend said, “wild” tasting. Oh, and they are HUGE.

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We were really eager to pick raspberries, so we headed down the trail to the raspberry vines.

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Since it was a late bloom, the raspberries were a little harder to find but we found some!
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{that picture on the right might be me saying the hill was too steep, but I’ll never confirm}
The evening cooled off as we got ready to check out and head home. It was a great way to spend a couple hours of a summer evening. If you get a chance to ever stop at Morris Vineyard, you won’t be disappointed! Picking season starts in April and continues through throughout the fall. The vineyard has blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, and muscadine vines.
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