Fall is a great time of the year to get outside and enjoy all our planet has to offer. With the weather beginning to cool down, leaves starting to change colors, and the holidays coming soon, this is a wonderful season to bond with the family and enjoy some fun fall festivities. Green Businesses has a few favorites we love to do every year. Maybe you do too?
Apple Picking
Apple picking may be available all year round, but autumn just so happens to be the most festive time of the year to indulge in such a fun activity. You may have to drive a distance to get to your destination, but it is well worth the drive. The human soul seems to regenerate as you get out of that car and find yourself surrounded by trees and mountains and nature. It is so satisfying to walk through the fields of trees, picking and choosing which apple you would like to enjoy, twisting the select few until they snap off the branch, and later enjoying a crisp and delectable snack. Not to mention, these apples are truly organic; and don’t stop admiring this there! By traveling to these apple farms, you are supporting the little guy, the local farms that stay true to the human spirit and body.

Your’s Truly at Los Rios Rancho in Oak Glen, Yucaipa, CA
Pumpkin Carving (and Eating)
Pumpkin – the most festive fruit (no veggie, no fruit!) of the fall season. Yes, pumpkins have seeds; therefore, they are fruits. Who would have thought? Pull up a chair (and a tablecloth) and relax by carving your own pumpkin! Call up some friends and make it a bonding experience. Make sure to save the seeds and bake them up in the oven with some super light salt and, shh, butter. My dad makes THE BEST pumpkin seeds, ever. And, don’t stop there, let’s not waste these huge and nutritious treats. When you’re done with that pumpkin, cut it in half and bake it in the oven for some tasty pumpkin puree action.
Does this sound fun to you? Click Here for some methods to make your own pumpkin puree!
Rake the Leaves
Raking the leaves may sound like work and not be the first thing on your mind for a fun fall afternoon, but with a few friends or the kids this can be a blast of fun! Raking will burn calories (yay for weight management), clean up your yard (yay curb appeal), and foster a young spirit in you. Give into the urge and make that pile of red, orange, and yellow (and green if you live in SoCal like me) leaves. If you don’t want to throw yourself in it, try kicking it with gusto and watch the leaves swirl in the autumn breeze. I don’t know about you, but I LOVE the sound of crunching leaves. The fact that I’m in my late twenties does not deter me from going out of my way to crunch an extra tempting leaf on the other side of the sidewalk.
Go for a Hike
Leave that ozone-killing car behind and take a hike around your neighborhood, or down in the nature area nearest your home. It is so refreshing to the soul to get away from the stinky, smoggy, noisy city areas and find oneself surrounded by peace and silence. Work off that pumpkin pie and apple cider by marching through the dirt and bushes under the shade of trees and admiring the flowers and wildlife. Listen to the autumn breeze and chipper birds sing. Guaranteed you will find yourself less stressed when you return home.
Well these are just a few of Green Businesses favorite fall festivities. What are yours?