Mountain Orchards is located just outside of Kemptville, in Mountain, Ontario. It has been family tradition with our best friends the Paynes for the past 4 years. We call it a Guthrie-Payne tradition….or some days a Payneful-Guthrie tradition. Mountain Orchard has no fee to enter. You can go there for free, you cannot say that about other orchards. There are tractor rides, a straw jump, a forest hike, a corn maze, a tractor tire play structure and of course apple picking. This is a great place for the 10 and under set, however I did see several tweens there, obviously being dragged there by their parents.
Here are my top three tips for an enjoyable visit to Mountain Apple Orchard:
1. Arrive early, the crowds can go from the just several visitors to rush hour traffic (see below). The drivers, during non busy hours, will take a picture of your entire family on the wagon. If you have a wagon/stroller and the crowds are not huge, you can bring it on the tractor ride. If the crowds are too big you will need to walk with your wagon/stroller to the apple orchard, it is no more than a five minute walk.
2. Resistance is futile….eat the homemade apple cider donuts. Yes, yes I know they have nothing in the but flour, sugar & apples but these little babies are the reason people come back year after year. A dozen costs six dollars, six little loonies for the warmest, fluffiest, apple goodness this side of Ottawa.
3. Save the straw jump till the end of your visit. This is one of my kid’s favourite activities at the orchard, but you will get straw everywhere. That means little ones will have straw in their boots, shirts, shorts, hair and pants. If you have ever played in straw you know how itchy it can be. Don’t ruin the trip to the orchard, save it for the end of the morning. Another good tip is to wear boots for the walk through the orchard & straw jump and bring an extra pair of flip flops or shoes for the final part of the day. AndiePandie knows the drill, as soon as she comes out of the straw jump, we do a quick change of shoes, brush off the straw and we are good for the rest of the morning.
This is the price list for all the items at Mountain Orchard. We bought a big bag of Macintosh, little bag of Lobos and an apple pie. We will use the Lobos for lunches and the Macs for apple sauce, apple crisp and apple blossoms. All in all we spent 56.00 on products and 12 dollars on apple cider donuts. We had a wonderful morning with our friends. I would suggest a 9 am arrival and wrap up at 11:30 am. New this year they have a BBQ with hot dogs & sausages, so you can enjoy lunch at the orchard as well. I enjoy the family feel of Mountain Orchards, that is why this is one of our fall family traditions.
Disclaimer: I drove my own car, picked my own apples and payed for my apple pie & apples myself. BTW the only thing I worry about at the orchard is the wasps, be prepared…wasps love apple cider donuts.
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One Response to Mountain Apple Orchard – A Guthrie Family Review
Ohhh! That looks like so much fun! As a kid living in the city, I always loved going apple picking at the apple picking farm closest to us! Field trips were so much fun too! Now that I live on a farm, I see just how much work it is. It’s weird being on the other side for a change.
Great post! By the way, I’d be worried about wasps as well! Eeeek!