Martin's Hillside Orchard

Explore the Orchard

2018 Season

by

We’ll be open Aug 25 through the end of October.

We won the game of Dodge Ball with the hail and the apples are beautiful.  Check the fall u-pick timeline to find out when your favorite apple varieties are ripe for picking.  We can’t wait to see you at the orchard!

Pesky bugs – We seen more than our share of mosquitoes this fall.  Some days they are bad; Other days they aren’t an issue. Kind of hard to predict. Please bring along bug spray so you are prepared either way.

 

New this fall:

  • Open one evening a week – Thursday evenings until sunset
  • Entry fee is $4/person. Fee counts toward $3 of u-pick fruit when you check outsunset at the orchard
  • Jams & jellies, a first for us!  (available beginning Labor Day Weekend)
  • More food options on weekends – pulled pork sandwiches
  • Enhanced picnic area so there is plenty of shade for all
  • Birthday party offering
  • Open Columbus Day!
  • New “knock your socks off” apple (mid-October)

Unfortunately, no peaches this year. The super cold temperatures around New Years took out this year’s crop but the trees are fine. Storing up all that sunshine so they can produce a great crop next year.

Here is link to our weekly newsletter. Archives of this season’s newsletters can be found here.

If you’d like to receive these updates direct to your inbox, just fill out the subscription form on the home page. Screen shot shown here.  You can always unsubscribe at any time.

2017 Season Now Over

by

Yes, the orchard is officially CLOSED for the season.

While we aren’t keeping regular business hours past 11/5, we do still have frozen cider and pre-picked apples available. Just call ahead to schedule a pickup time.

THANKS – Thank you to everyone who joined us in the orchard this fall.  We had a great time reconnecting with friends who have visited us year after year.  And, we got to meet a bunch of new folks who we are glad to welcome to our orchard family.

What are we doing in the off-season?  Oh, this and that — tucking the trees in for a long winter’s nap, corralling those pumpkin barrows, convincing our trusty John Deere to put its wheels up and kick back for some well-deserved rest.

We wish you all a joyous holiday season.  Look forward to seeing you in 2018.

pumpkin_farewell2

Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

by

This recipe makes a lot of cake. Share with a neighbor and help them enjoy the taste of fall.

The recipe calls for Gala apples but we found Melrose, Pink Lady, and Jonathans are a great choices as well. The little bit of tartness they lend provides a nice balance to the sweet praline frosting.

And, lest we forget, the praline frosting is fantastic!

Cake isn’t just for dessert. Great in the morning with your coffee – zap in the microwave for a few seconds to warm up the caramel icing.

 

Roasted Butternut Squash Hummus

by

For someone who never liked squash growing up, I’ve got to say I like everything about this recipe from Trisha’s Southern Kitchen on Food Network.  The roasted squash was so tasty that it was hard to stop snacking.

And, the roasted squash seeds are super easy and super flavorful. I’d like to have a cup or two of these handy year-round to top salads and savory dishes.

What I found challenging — I always find it a little difficult to peel an uncooked squash. Maybe it’s because my knife work isn’t super skilled. Feels like I am in the danger zone. Cutting it into bite-sized pieces probably reduces the roasting time, but I might try to just halve the squash the next time around and roast it in that form, then remove it from the peel afterward with a spoon. Pretty sure I can’t inflict any damage to my person with a spoon 😉

As far as flavor, though, we definitely give this recipe thumbs-up all around

Apple Pie Muffins

by

This recipe makes 12 regular-sized muffins. I had one of those tins that makes the extra large variety, which turned into 6 super-duper sized muffins. Worked well. Just had to bake them 10-15 minutes longer than the regular-size muffins.

Pretty tasty. Enjoy at breakfast with yogurt OR – Drizzle with store bought caramel sauce for yummy dessert. Or, drizzle with caramel and have for breakfast as well.  You can’t go wrong with caramel. Might be obsessed with caramel