For me, wine festivals aren’t much fun when I can’t partake in all the tastings. So, this weekend I skipped the Bernalillo Wine Festival and headed south to San Patricio, New Mexico (Lincoln County) to my parents’ family “farm” to pick pears with T and my lovely dogs. The weather was perfect: overcast, cool, and a little breezy. Although it’s been dry down south, this area of the state had received some rain lately and everything was green.
The pears in my family’s orchard begin to ripen right about this time of year (late August, early September). They’re perfect for picking right now and will be ripe enough to eat in a few days. The apples (old fashioned varieties) will be ready closer to the first weekend of October. We plan to can most of our harvest and let you know how that goes.
Handy Fruit Picking Basket
There are plenty of Pick-Your-Own Fruit and Vegetable Farms around the state. Check here, here (La Union Maze), here (Heidi’s Raspberries), and here (Salman Raspberries) for your options. One such farm is San Patricio Berry Farms. Their berry season is just about over. They have Gala and Fugi apples too (which are ripe in early August).
Picking your own fruit and vegetables is rewarding and fun. Kids love to help and it’s a very relaxing activity for adults. Plus, you get to see exactly where your food came from and can talk to the farmer about his growing practices.
If you’ve visited such a farm or plan to please tell us about it!
~R
