O is for Orchard
I was raised in the northeast. I lived in the apple country of New York State. In the fall, the orchards would open their fruit stands. We could get baskets of apples and fresh apple cider. To this day, a glass of apple cider evokes memories of crisp, crunchy leaves, cooler days and bees buzzing around, drawn by the sweet juice form the apples.
Later I lived in South Carolina. Georgia may be
known as the "Peach State", but some of the best peaches I ever tasted came from the orchards of upstate, SC. We often stopped at a gas station where a farmer sold baskets of peaches. He would split one in half, using a twisting motion of his hands, and with juice dripping down his arm, he would hold out half a peach for me to sample. It worked every time - we would leave with a basket of peaches, the aroma slowly filling our car with its thick, heady scent.
I've driven through Florida, past row after row of citrus trees. Every few miles there would be a stand selling the fruit currently in season.
Orchards dot the west coast of our country as well. Washington is known for its cherries and apples and California is known for its citrus.
Seeing row after row of trees, while driving through the arid regions of southern Texas and New Mexico seemed incongruous.
It turns out that Texas, New Mexico and Georgia produce 75% of the US Pecan crop. Hmmm, I learn something new every day that we travel!
