After a week of quarantine, waiting 3 days for a test, finding out we needed to drive 52 miles to get one, (for a 3 year old that had an oozing ear from an ear infection), we finally, seven days later, get a negative result; so we wanted to escape in the sunshine. We found out that a nearby fruit farm is doing apple picking weekends this weekend and next weekend only, so we drove there to get some fruit, for my apple devouring children.
Blackmoor Estate is a family-run farm located near Selborne in Hampshire and is best known for growing both traditional and new varieties of English apples and pears. Their nursery also supplies fruit trees and plants for those who want to grow their own.
I decided I wanted a mixture of eating and Bramley apples for making apple crumbles and tarte tatin and good old lunchbox fodder so we took a big tote bag for our apple swag. But when we get there we also find out they do pears as well which was a bonus.
Its was lovely walking into the various orchards picking Cox and Russet which were crisp and full of flavour, then getting some lovely Bramleys to make into an apple crumble for today's roast. It was a great couple of hours well spent, and what was even more brilliant is you can mix up your apples and pears and just pay for the weight at the end which I thought the price was very reasonable indeed.
The kids enjoyed the picking then enjoyed making the crumble when we got back. Good impromptu day out inspired by my eldest saying he wanted to go and pick some apples. Thanks Blackmoor Estate!
Head there next weekend for another 2 days of apple and pear picking - here is where you need to head to: http://www.blackmoorestate.co.uk/apple-day-and-events/
