Tag: Apple Picking

Oktoberfest

October is the time for apple picking, fall colors, and Halloween preparations. Parades, tours, costumes, and travelling are major occasions where we all can have some outdoor fun before winter sets in.

Apple Picking

Apple is the most favorite fruit and is ready for picking during the fall. Here are some local famrs where you can pick your own apples for a minimal cost.

  1. Tanners Orchard, Speer IL
  2. Stone’s Apple Barn, East Moline IL
  3. HappyHollowUpick, Port Byron, IL
Check with the farm for the timings and special events.

Fall Colors

Fall is the time when leaves stop producing chlorophyll gradually. The carotenoids which were always present now make the leaves turn yellow, purple, red, crimson before they finally fall. Follow a river in your local area to get the best view of the fall colors.

  1. Mississippi Palisades National Park, Savanna, IL
  2. Galena, IL
  3. Spoon River Scenic Drive, Fulton County, IL

Check the weather and routes before setting off to enjoy the nature.

Halloween: Parades and Trick or Treat

  1. Rock Island District – Oct 27th 5pm to 8pm
  2. Le Claire – Parade on Oct 29th 11am to 1pm,  Trick or Treat on Oct 30th 6pm to 8 pm
  3. Davenport – Oct 28th 5pm to 7pm
  4. Bettendorf – Oct 31 5pm to 7pm
  5. Moline – Oct 31 5pm to 7pm
  6. South Park Mall – Oct 29th 4pm to 6pm
  7. Quad City Botanical Center – Oct 30th 1pm to 4pm

Follow the safety rules during Halloween parades to make it more enjoyable and memorable.

Tanners Orchard, Speer, IL

Tunners Orchard at 740 State Route 40, Speer, IL 61479 (309.493.5442) is one hour drive from Quad cities and offers a unique farm experience for visitors. The farm, the picking and the activities make it worth visiting every September.

Apple Picking

Apple picking is a different experience in the Fall. The fat and cholesterol free fruit is the favorite for many of us. Children can easily pick the fruit as the trees are short and the fruits are easy to reach. After picking them, handle them gently and store in a cold place. Apple picking tips must be followed for enjoying the fruit.

Tanners Orchard

Tanners orchard, since 1947, are in the apple business. The drive to the farm in the country side is pleasant. You get to see many barns and windmills in the route along with wide and open fields. I wonder how much energy the windmills produce and after how many rotations.

The farm has ample parking and restrooms. They do not charge the entry fees, but you need to buy a bag for $10 before entering the truck. The covered truck takes you to the apple farm, pumpkin farm and corn farm. You can get down at different places to pick. The apple farm has the apple trees lined up and full of apples. You can find green, red and yellow apples. The farm is full of bees and mosquitos. Depending on the weather you may have to choose the appropriate dress and shoes.

Once you are done with the apple picking, you can wait for the truck to come and take you to the pumpkin farm. After the pumpkin farm, the truck drops you back at the start point where you find the corn farm. The orchard staff have organized a corn maze game. To enter the corn maze, you have to pay an entry fee of $7 for adults and $5 for children.

Children’s Play Area

The entrance fee for the children’s play area is $7 for children and $5 for adults. 50% of the fee directly goes to the local emergency fund. Children can play a wide variety of games inclluding the T-Ball, Mini golf, Slides, Swings, School bus games, mini rides, pony ride, barrel train ride and so on. Adults can ride a pedaling bike with large tyres on it. I was exhausted after 6 rounds. 🙂

Different goats and other farm animals are on the show in the orchard. You can feed the animals by collecting their food from the nearby machine. The pony ride and tree house are good to watch.

Store

The store is my favorite place where you get yummy donuts, cider, frittles (egg-less), pies, jams, pickles, sauces and so on. They have a bakery where you can buy coffee or icecream. Different decorative items are on display. Also seen are large pumpkins and mums on sale. Overall, the trip leaves a good memory for all especially for children. 🙂