Fresh picked fruit is a treat that the young, the old, and everyone in between can fall in love with. With the bountiful countryside we are lucky to be nestled in, there are quite a few orchards, teeming with trees overflowing with the season’s growth, just waiting for someone to come by and pluck that perfect Bartlett pear.
Ready for an adventure, the man and I hopped in the car and headed north. We had plans to meet friends in the Boyertown area, just barely past the Chester County line. Our destination? Frecon Farms – a vendor at our local Kennett Square Farmers Market! This summer had been full of canning their tasty fruit, and it was finally time to check out where these nice folks called home.
After an hour’s drive through gorgeous terrain, we arrived and prepared to get our pick on! We traipsed around the fields, starting with the pears. (Take my advice – go during the week, or early on the weekend! We showed up within an hour of closin’ time on a Sunday night, and while there was plenty of fruit to be had, we were lucky to have a 6’5″ guy with a high clearance!) Every which way we turned, we saw exciting varietals – tart Jonagolds, juicy Galas, vibrant MacIntoshs!
Pretty soon, our baskets were full and we headed to their little market, where we picked out some of their hard cider! Frecon Farms has teamed up with nearby Sly Fox Brewing Company of Phoenixville to create some of the most delicious hard cider I’ve ever had. We came home with the Crabby Granny, a dry cider made with crab apples and Granny Smith’s – tart and smooth!
We also nabbed a few bottles of the Hogshead, a strong cider made with Stayman Winesap’s and classic cider apples. We will be making a repeat appearance in hopes of buying the only cider they were out of – The Early Man, made with heirloom MacIntosh & Gravenstein apples!
Mark your calendars for October 8th, the date of their 5th Annual PICKFEST. You can try their hard cider (and sweet cider for the kiddies), pick pumpkins and fruit, and head out on the season’s first hayride! There will be local music playing all day (the event is 9:30 am until 6 pm), and don’t miss out on a favorite local band, Mason Porter! You can purchase tickets online for only $5 here, or buy them the day of for $9.
Happy picking!
Find Frecon Farms regularly at 501 South Reading Ave. in Boyertown or online at freconfarms.com.
Photographs courtesy of Alex Alesio.
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