Tuesday, October 26, 2010

The Big Apple...

For the past few months I've been working at "The Big Apple." As you've guessed, The Big Apple is an Apple Orchard, but also so much more! They are open from June to December. Every season of course yields different crop. In the summer there are raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, peaches, plums, summer sqaush, ... and any other summer produce you can think of. In the Fall there are squash, pumpkin, tomatoes, green beans, peppers, corn, and APPLES of all shapes, sizes, and ... brands? Anyway, I can tell you now just about anything you wanna know about every kind of apple. For baking, the best apple to use is Wolf River, a combination of McIntosh, Gala, and Macoun make the best apple pies. Cortlands are also good for baking. Empire apples are crisp and are FABULOUS when made into caramel apples! ... Well, I think you get the point. I've had so much fun working here. I mostly worked the cash register and bakery.

On top of all of the fresh produce, they also have what we call "Purchase Products." Things like jams and jellies. Spiced Pears and Peaches. Caramel apple kits, Candy apple kits, old fashioned candies, fudge, pancake mixes, ect. The bakery is only open in the fall and in this section there are muffins (made from the berries of that summer), Apple Turnovers, home-made chocolate chip cookies, homemade donuts (which are to DIE for), and PIES! Any kind of pie you can think of, we've made. Apple, Pumpkin, Cherry, Peach, Mixed Berry, Blueberry, Strawberry Rhubard, and many more!!

I've loved working here and will miss it when I go back to Rexburg. Everyone I worked with were amazing and have become good friends. If you ever travel to Wrentham, MA make sure you look up the Big Apple. You won't regret it.
OH I ALMOST FORGOT!
The Big Apple also makes the worlds BEST apple cider, made from our apples. If you mix one of their mulled cider packs with the cider, you get some of the best hot cider around! Come over to my house and I'll make you some. I bought so many packs of the spice mixture, I have enough for an army!

This is the jams and jellies, BBQ sauce, Salad dressing, Vermont syrup, Salsa... wall

This machine is pretty cool. After the apples are picked from the trees, they are dumped into a large basin filled with water and some sort of chemical that cleans the apple. Then they roll out onto the conveyor belt. You can see it in the picture. Every apple has its own little divet that it travels in. While on the moving belt, the apple is also weighed. Based on the apples weight, it is moved onto a turning contraption (you can see these to the left of the picture), where the men put them into the appropriate bags to be sold. It is quite the process, but very fun to watch!

Here is where the apples are displayed and ready for sale. In this pic you can see the fridges in the back which hold the Apple Cider, and the pickle barrel. They also make their own pickles which taste WONDERFUL!

PUMPKINS!!!!!! I love how cute these little sugar punkies are.

... just an artsy fartsy pic of the apples...

Sunday, October 17, 2010

My Favorite Antique Place..




On the East Coast, there are Antique stores EVERWHERE! Of course I love this. I go every saturday to look around to try to find treasures...AND I HAVE! I've found a fabulous jewelery box, a clock from the 1700's, a beautiful silver tray, and much more! I found a trunk yesterday for only $150, but sadly I can't send it home so I can't get it. Anyone wanna pitch in for a mailing fee?

Friday, October 8, 2010

Cliff Walk

Here's my next update post!

Zack and I made a very large list of things we wanted to do while in New England (Hardly any of which we have done). This was one of them...
There is a little town on the coast of Rhode Island called Newport. It is a hopping little place, filled with little shops, beaches, and "The Cliff Walk." This walk, as named, is a walk along the cliffs with a view of the ocean on the left and very large mansions on the right. Zack and I packed a lunch and had a great afternoon walking, talking, and enjoying the views. Although we only saw one mansion, it was still a good afternoon.


















Our First Food Spree!

I know that you have all been waiting for this much needed update. I'll be doing a couple of posts, so hopefully everyone will scroll down and see what I've been up to! Sorry for the wait. I've been crazy busy.

So, These few pictures were taken a few months ago. We had just gotten paid and spent $300 on food!!! HOLY CRAP! It was really fun going up and down every isle talking about what we were going to buy. I love grocery shopping. It is probably one of my favorite things to do. I love that Zack enjoys doing these things with me.


The Loot!



Zack is Very good at making Omlets and we made this the morning after our spree. It turned out really pretty, so I took a picture....and might I add, it was DELICIOUS!