Carter Mountain Apple Orchard Hosts Fall Festival

By ANDREA FORCUM

Winter is coming and its time to take advantage of the weather while you still can. Nestled in the hills of Charlottesville, just an hour or so out of D.C., is the Carter Mountain Apple Orchard, a perfect venue to enjoy all autumn has to offer, including a spectacular panoramic view of Charlottesville and the Shenandoah Valley, surrounded by hills, vineyards, orchards, and quaint barns.

The orchard is open from mid-April through November. Along with being able to pick your own produce, it has a small store with a cache of collectibles and trinkets. Along the side of the store is a cozy wine tasting room that has fantastic frozen sangrias and a wide selection of Prince Michel wines.

If the impressive amenities were not enough to tempt, the employees are friendly, welcoming, and essentially teddy bears in orchards uniforms. The welcoming atmosphere makes the orchard a fun and delicious trip anytime their doors are open.

However, the most endearing of events that Carter Mountain boasts is the Fall Apple Festival. Hayrides, steaming apple pie, a pumpkin patch, and the sound of dissolving leaves underfoot wrap up a day at the orchard in a fuzzy sweater of fun.

Image courtesy of Andrea Forcum/The Bullet