HANCOCK COUNTY — Standing next to the glass cabinet filled with caramel-and-nut-covered apples, the two young girls had their eyes fixed on the candy sitting on shelves along the wall. They were searching for just the right piece while their mother was paying for their pumpkins.
Many students and families from several school districts in the county and surrounding areas have been on fall break this week. While some went on vacations out of state, many chose to stay and experience all an Indiana fall has to offer, including the weather, the colors, the pumpkins and fall treats.
Just south of New Palestine, the family-owned, 40-acre Pleasant View Orchard, 10721 North 850W, Fairland, offered patrons a chance to pick the perfect pumpkin and apples, grab some hot apple cobbler and wash it down with an iced apple slushy.
Andria Kemper and her family have owned the orchard for the past nine years and said it’s been a great apple and pumpkin season so far.
“This past Columbus Day, it was probably the busiest one we’ve had since we’ve owned the business,” Kemper said. “It’s been record-breaking, but I credit the great fall weather.”
She noted their chance to allow people, including kids, to pick their apples and pumpkins is loads of fun for families who are looking to make family memories.
“It’s a huge draw. People just love to do that,” Kemper said. “We had a really good crop this year.”
Kemper noted they like to offer many homemade items and provide patrons with lots of fall options like apple fritters, apple jelly, candy corn, gourds, corn shucks, caramel and candy apples and more. They also have a playground where kids can run and burn off some steam.
With all their faces tucked inside the apple orchard tree photo-op board stationed by the apple trees, Richelle Winter, New Palestine, was having fun with her two children, her best friend and her friends’ grandson.
“You can’t beat the family time, plus I love all the fall colors and the feel of everything this time of year,” Winter said. “We come here every year.”
They planned to pick up a couple of pumpkins on their way out after letting the kids run around on the playground and down the rows of apples.
Mikkal Hodge, Alexandria, was dressed in a black T-shirt with a jack-o’-lantern face. He brought his wife and five kids to the orchard to pick a few apples and have some fun. Their goal was to visit as many apple and pumpkin stops as they could during their fall break.
“We just love coming to a place like this, letting the kids get a chance to pick a few apples and expend some energy,” Hodge said. “We’ve already been to Tuttle Orchards today and if we have time we’re heading to a place in New Castle.”
Amy Morrical, a teacher at the Wanamaker Early Learning Center, was looking through the section of tiny gourds and told her mom and daughter she wanted to get a bunch of them for her students to paint.
“I want to let my kids help me decorate our classroom,”she said. “I teach four- and five-year-old children, and I love art, so we’ll probably do some pumpkin dipping.”
For Morrical, the visit to the orchard was also about having a chance to hang out and enjoy the fall weather with her mom and daughter.
“We come out here so we can make some memories,” Morrical said.
The Pleasant View Orchard is expected to be open through the end of October with a closing date somewhere around early November.
