by Kristen Warfield
Cider donuts. Pumpkin picking. Colorful foliage. Cinnamon brooms.
Those are just some of the ethereal sights and things to do around the Hudson Valley this fall—and luckily there are plenty of places to check those off your fall bucket lists.
My sweetheart and I ventured into Fishkill, New York over the weekend to kickstart the autumnal equinox. Fishkill Farms was our destination, and we weren’t disappointed.
The large family farm is complete with U-pick fields of several varieties of apples, pumpkin picking, flower picking, hay rides, food trucks, a farm store, and live music. As we walked around the crowd, people tasted flights of hard cider, munched on cider donuts, and wobbled up the gravel drive with the largest pumpkins they could carry.
Supporting local is my favorite pastime, so I was quick to reach for some local apple butter and a bottle of elderberry hard cider, the “LOVE” flavor of Fishkill Farm’s Treasury Cider.
When I first started out in journalism back in the day, Treasury Cider’s inception was one of my first articles for the food magazine The Valley Table. Several years and varieties later, this cider remains one of the valley’s best-kept secrets.
The elderberry gave it a nice sweet taste and a light pink color. There was a slight fizz upon pouring my glass, but it didn’t stay effervescent for long. We made apple pork chops earlier in the week, and this would’ve paired so well with it.
The apple butter is simple and great on biscuits or a croissant. I particularly love the addition of cinnamon and allspice to this jar, as it really helps bring out the nice apple flavor.
In the bountiful beauty section at the farm store, I also picked up a bar of cranberry-apple marmalade soap. It smells so delicious and is great at moisturizing.
While we didn’t book to U-pick this time, we will be sure to check out some more local farms this fall. We did pick out some small white pumpkins for our daughters to paint later this month, which are right now on my TV stand on either side of a floral arrangement.
The steamy weather is finally on its way out, so now’s the perfect time to get onto your favorite fall activities. Pumpkins, apples, mums, and gourds are bountiful this season. Get outside and enjoy them!
Kay's Days 
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