Apple Picking in Oak Glen, California

When I was living in the East Coast, I loved eating apples.  Over the years though, especially after moving to California, I've lost my taste for this fruit.. The supermarket bought apples tasted dry, the texture isn't as crisp as I remembered, the skin is waxy, and the apple flavor is just not quite there.

When I decided to go apple picking with Chloe at Riley's Farm, one of the few places that allow U-Pick apples in Southern California, I wasn't expecting much. I just thought it would be fun getting out of the city for a bit. It took us about an hour and a half to get to Oak Glen, near Yucaipa, across the hot, charmless expanse of San Bernardino County and the 10 Freeway. But when we turned onto Oak Glen Rd to go up the mountain, the landscape all of a sudden turned lusher. Riley's Farm in Oak Glen was bustling with activities. It has a full on New England theme with a "publick house" called "Hawk's Head" that serves food that surprisingly tasty, a fruit shack, guys dressed in minutemen costume, and women in old New England garb. School groups were there, as were lots of families and young couples. The place reeks of tourist trap, of course, but it was fun nonetheless.

 

The apple trees at Riley's Farm were loaded down with lots of apples. So much apples in fact, that tons have ripened and fallen onto the ground to rot and get eaten by bees and squirrels. The apple varieties included red delicious, Braeburn, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious and Senshu apples as well as Bartlett pears. The sizes of the apples were not big, but they were delicious. The apples were bursting with flavor and we couldn't help eating them while we picked. I think I liked the Senshu apples the best, but all were tasty. We picked two large bags of apples and pears for $18 each. Not cheap, but well worth the price and effort.

Apple picking is in season right now. Go to Riley's Farm for some luscious fruit and pumpkins.

Riley's Farm
12261 S. Oak Glen Road
Oak Glen, California 92399


909-797-7534