The dirtiest apple orchard ever

For Maura's birthday, we went apple picking. We haven't done this since we moved to CA, because every time I went looking for an orchard, the offerings looked pretty bleak. They'd always have just a couple varieties, or they'd be mostly berries, or could you couldn't pick your own.

The truth is, we're apple snobs. Growing up in New England, where you can practically trip over an orchard with several nice heirlooms sets the bar pretty high. Despite this, we decided to give it a go after Maura got a recommendation from one of her coworkers for Gizdich Ranch.

We weren't expecting much. They only listed four varieties on their web site, one of which was red delicious. On the other hand, they did have gala, which we like.

What we weren't expecting was the dust. All the paths through the orchard had a one to two inch layer of dirt and dust that just got everywhere, likely because it hasn't rained out here since April. The kids thought this was quite entertaining, and after they picked a few apples they starting throwing dirt balls around or sifting dust through their hands. They were filthy by the time we had enough, and all our shoes were a uniform shade of light brown.

We did get a few pounds of apples (and at least the gala were good), but I don't think we'll be going back any time soon.