*I was compensated by Eckert's in exchange for my honest review of their farm. All opinions are my own.*
As most of y'all know, my family is from the Lexington, KY area and I've been spending summers and holidays there since I was a kid. I currently live in the St Louis area and our favorite orchard, Eckert's, recently took over another farm in the Lexington area. I love having a little piece of home right there when I'm visiting!
Our most recent visit allowed us to cross yet another item off of our Family Fall Bucket List -- Apple Picking! It's one of our favorite fall activities and I loved seeing Lucy enjoying it all with so much family.
The first item on our agenda was the play area. The kids loved all of the fun slides and giant bounce pad. We didn't have a chance to ride the camel or pony this time, but that is always a crowd favorite as well. The older kids got to try out the barrel races, too! My little ones enjoyed watching their aunts and uncle race down the track.
Next up was the petting zoo. This was definitely a favorite for my babes and the older girls really enjoyed it, too. The goats were super friendly (and hungry!) and the fluffy Scottish cow was so gentle and sweet with Parker's grabby hands. You can tell these animals are happy and well cared for. The goats have a large playground of their own and there's plenty of feed to go around for 50¢ a handful.
Now of course, is the apple picking! We took a short wagon ride to the orchard area where a helpful employee told us which apples we were picking and helped us find the best selections. The grounds were absolutely beautiful and full of life. If you're local to the area, you'll know that these new wooden benched wagons are a great addition to replace the old hay bale seating.
My favorite stop is always the market. Eckert's Boyd Orchard did not disappoint! There were so many delicious concoctions and home decor pieces and I was excited to see some products from my home orchard in Belleville, too.
I was surprised to see how much there was to do at Eckert's Boyd Orchard! From apple picking and pumpkins, to cider slushies and camel rides! Our kids really loved the petting zoo and all the fun slides the most.
I think I have a few pies to bake in my near future! Let me know if you have any other apple recipes I need to try! What's your favorite part about visiting an apple orchard or pumpkin patch?
