I spent Saturday in a part of California I previously did not even know existed. It felt like another country…and it was wonderful.
California is such a diverse place. Not just the population, which represents cultures from around the globe, but even in its topography. I grew up in the Los Angeles area and have explored much of the state over the years. Yet there are still unexplored pockets. Last weekend, I was again surprised at what California has to offer.
Autumn is up on us, though the weather remains so warm you wouldn’t notice. The leaves are just beginning to turn. My wife Heidi wanted to go to an apple orchard to pick apples. This is something she used to do in Germany and wanted to introduce our son Augustine to. I’ve never picked apples off a tree before…such trees don’t do well in Los Angeles.
When she mentioned it, I was open to the idea, but really had no idea where to look. I wasn’t about to drive up to the Central Valley. But she located several family-owned apple orchards in Oak Glen, a town nestled at the base of the San Gorgonio Mountain in San Bernardino County, east of LA toward Palm Springs.
So on Saturday we took off after an early lunch and made the approximately 1.5-hour drive from our home in LA.
No road trip is completed without coffee and we stopped at a Third Wave coffee house in Yucaipa called Hearthwood Coffee Roasters. The coffee was great, but I was dismayed that no cow’s or goat’s milk was on offer; only plant-based substitutes. Oat milk not bad in cereal, but I certainly don’t prefer it in my cappuccino. Next time, I’ll stick to espresso.
California Apple Orchards
We continued on to the apple orchards and all I can say is that it felt like we were in another country…or at least another state. It was rural. People were extremely friendly. And it was clear that life was taken at a slower pace.
Each farm has different attractions to draw in people, though all center on picking apples or pressing apples into cider. There were animals to pet, candles and birdhouses to make, tractor rides, and playhouses. Augustine had a wonderful time. Heidi and I enjoyed the change of pace too.
I’m not sure how great it would be to live there, as we saw literally dozens of houses and farms for sale, just on the road we took, but it was a great place to visit for Saturday.
Heck, they even have Cracker Barrels out there. I had to stop…though it must be such a novelty that there was over an hour wait for a table and we continued back home.
That’s a shame, because there’s nothing like a some country-fried ham, chicken dumplings, meatloaf, cornbread, and buttermilk biscuits. I’m sure my body thanked me though for skipping out on that feast…
CONCLUSION
It’s often our own backyards that we leave unexplored. Going out each autumn to pick apples will be a new family tradition in our house. It was a fun day together and really showcased what a diverse place California is. Venture out from Los Angeles and you’ll find mountains, beaches, forests, deserts…and apple orchards.
Great pictures of your son Augustine as usual.
He seems to have enjoyed his saturday.
I grew up on 10 acres of farmland and really miss that life…if real estate keeps climbing where I live I may just have a chance to retire back to a farm!
As a British person who lived in Mississippi for 9 months – Cracker Barrel is one seriously immersive experience and the food is very respectable too. Love the rocking chairs!
Good stuff. All my years here and I’d never heard of this place.
I’ll confirm a couple of things. Apples need some cold in the Winter, so, not LA., and yeah, the pace of life is a lot slower. If you ever take the plunge, it’ll take you a while to get used to it, but after a while you’ll realize why these people are so much happier than Angelenos.
You know what they say…don’t upset the apple cart!
Thanks for sharing the pic of Augustine! He’s getting big!
I grew up on a farm in South America and I miss that interaction with fresh stuff and nature. I also get my kids introduced to picking apples here in MN. As for the place you stopped for coffee, although plant based protein is becoming popular, not offering real milk is total BS. I would have skipped that place. Great to see Augustine growing up.
I worked in an orchard as a teen so picking apples for fun? No thank you!
However, I can certainly see the appeal for others. There was recently an article in the WSJ about farmers shifting to just this source of agri-entertainment to increase cash flow.
Local to me is a farmer with market, pumpkin patch, corn maze, play park, animals, etc that is packed every fall weekend. Our son enjoyed it when he was younger.
If you want to see the diversity of California visit the northeastern area, accessible via Reno. A must see is the area between Mt. Lassen and the Nevada state line. This is the nicest area of California, you won’t even believe you are in California.
Important lessons. Many kids don’t realise apples grown on trees let alone get to pick them.
How wonderful that some coffee shops shun dairy. It’s never an issue for me because I only take black coffee; I eat some cheese, so it’s a taste issue rather than a moral one, but those taking moral stands are to be applauded, and supported.
Visited Oak Glen myself back in October. Nice, but a bit crowded.
You forgot to get some apple pie!! You must go back! Go to the petting zoo. Take the baby to the candy store. I wanna say the restaurant is called Apple Annie’s. The pie is like a foot tall.
Heather, we were there! I could have even included some pictures.