An apple orchard in the DESERT!

Who would have thought that apples could grow in the dessert? About an hour and a half northwest of us, there's a growing, thriving ranch that harvests apples, peaches and pears. I would have thought the elevation would be higher and the temperatures lower than in Phoenix, but no. It was still REALLY hot! Not the crisp, fall weather I'm used to experiencing during apple season in the midwest.

Kaylin was pretty tired after the long drive up there, but we tried to include her as much as possible. Some of the apples were teeny, tiny. If you think about how small a one year old's hand is, you'll get an idea of how miniature the apple in her hand (at right) really was.

Ryan had a blast. We met some of our friends (and his) up there and all picked apples together. We all ate several along the way and gathered some of the fallen apples to feed the horses on our way out. We didn't see any pears and the peaches were long gone last month, but we brought home TONS of apples.

Mike was so focused on the task at hand while I chatted with friends, took pictures and enjoyed watching everyone else. He was truly on a mission. 35 lbs of apples later...!! I'll be cooking, baking, and canning for weeks. Applesauce, anyone?