Pear Orchard (©photo by imagina, courtesy of morguefile.com)

In these challenging economic times families can really use a fun and healthy outdoor activity that actually saves them some money. Many are doing just that by visiting pick-your-own orchards this fall.

An article in the Chicago Sun-Times quotes Kathy McKay of the North American Farmers’ Direct Marketing Association as saying, “Because of the whole staycation-daycation thing, a lot of our members are saying business has been good. People are looking for things to do near home instead of getting on a plane.”

Having them pick their own is a great way to get children more enthusiastic about eating fresh fruit and kids are bound to enjoy the hay rides, corn mazes, pumpkin patches, animal petting areas and other activities at offered at many of the farms.

Pick Your Own is a nonprofit organization with a web site that helps folks around the world find such orchards within traveling distance of their homes. There are about 10,000 such places altogether, according to PYO’s John Slemmer. Want to find out when your favorite local crop will be ready to harvest? The organization’s web site makes it possible to see the crop calendar for your area. They offer 150 recipes, easy preserving directions and affordable home canning kits for those who bring home more bounty than the family can consume while it’s fresh. PYO also offers farmers the opportunity to add their farms, a nice opportunity for family farms looking for a little additional income.

To visit the nonprofit organization cited above go to: Pick Your Own Web Site

If you’d like to read the Chicago Sun-Times article cited above go to: Orchards a more popular pick than ever for produce

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For information related to the purchase of advertising space on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com