Apple Land

One of our favourite annual fall pastimes is a visit to the apple orchard to handpick a fresh batch of apples. Luckily just outside London, near Thorndale, we are blessed with the amazing Apple Land, a pick your own orchard with train ride, pumpkin hollow, a store and small petting barn. This year’s weather has been dicey, but Saturday we risked the cold temperatures and were rewarded with a wonderful sunny day. For anywhere between $20 and $30 a family can spend an afternoon on site enjoying the sunny brisk fall day, have a train ride, enjoy the animals and play on the dirt mountain children’s play area and leave with either 10 pounds or 20 pounds of fresh apples. We paid $15 for a 20 pound bag of apples and $1.50 each for the train ride. A smaller 10 pound bag was also available for purchase. You then take the bag through the orchard or on the train and fill it up yourself with Gala, Crispin, Jonagold, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Empire, Spartan, Mutsu, Granny Smith and many more. This year there is also a horse-drawn carriage ride. While things have changed slightly this year at Apple Land. For instance the entry point is reversed from other years and the train goes in the oppositie direction, the fun and the apples are consistent. I surprised my daughters with this outing after a morning spent grocery shopping and at martial arts lessons and both of my children were thrilled. Judging by the number of people there many had the same idea and we ran into several neighbours and a few of the kid’s classmates who insisted on sampling every variety of apple there. Apple Land is only open until the end of the month, but currently it is open daily as apple-picking season is well underway. So hurry over to Apple Land Station. http://www.applelandstation.com/ or call 519-268-7794 for info. Directions couldn’t be easier from London, drive straight out Dundas Street, past Veteran’s Memorial Parkway and keep looking on your right side for the Apple Land signs.

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