We headed up to the Greenfield area for a look at the Franklin County Cider Days going on this weekend. There are a number of farms participating in this county-wide celebration of all things apple. Only having time for one location, we picked Clarkdale Farms, just over the Deerfield/Greenfield line...
There was (I thought) a surprisingly large turnout at this particular location, for such a wide spread event.
A reasonable crowd had gathered around the proprietors of the farm, who were discussing the changes that the surrounding farmlands have undergone. There used to be seven farms along this road until recently. Now there's just this one...
The apple orchards stretched into the distance and over the hill.
The discussion was followed with a tour of the farm, beginning with the cider press. It is located in a small building that was apparaently not built for large crowds. As many as possible squeezed in there though, for a lesson in cider making.
We had a listen, then gave up our spots so more people could go in. We strolled over across the way, where the farm goods were up for sale and sample.
While the apple dominated the day, there were also other farm products in it's shadow. Cider is made from pears too, and Country girl Kelly gave it the taste-test. A little swishing, a long pause...
...and it's met with marked approval.
It was time to go but first we checked out a very old graveyard, right next door, for morbid curiosity's sake....
...then headed out, for the nearby Poet's Seat tower in Greenfield, for a look at Autumn's progress.
The foliage is definitely wrapping it up for the year, with mostly rusty golds and faded yellows remaining, mixed in among the barer trees and evergreens...
While we were there, with the sun was just beginning to emerge from the high cloud cover that had greyed the day so far, and it remained out for the rest of our journey back south. We pit-stopped in Northampton farmland for a hopeful dose of color as the sun dropped low.
The cornstalks were also the yellow and golds that have supplanted the summer greens.
Along with the golden leaves, another sign of late autumn is the sight of hunters. This one patrolled the cornstalks for game birds.
Other parts of the fields were completely harvested and barren, the earth battened down for another long winter...
Our patience was rewarded with some subtle doses of color...
...and we turned for home.
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