Flavors from here | Eight excursions for family crops

These days it opens doors for us to share the fruits of many farms and orchards. And most of them have many attractions to entertain young and old alike and take advantage of the beautiful days that proclaim autumn. Here are some suggestions.

Squash 2.0

QR codes to identify squash? This is an innovative idea that we found in La Corriere, Lonaudier, not to get caught up in the 250 edible squashes that are made almost simultaneously in mid-September. In addition to a simplified course on three of the most popular families of squash in Quebec, we found a digital course that allows you to tour the fields and choose your squash according to the recipes you want to cook. The owners also planned “vintage games” to entertain the children – tic-tac-toe with squash, hop coach, pocket races, Party Leaves … – and cooking workshops for the whole family in the barn. You can reserve a picnic basket for staples like Butternut Squash Rish and Red Squash Ketchup.

Laila Malouf, Tap

Visit the Law Corgary website

Visit the La Fille du Roy website

Autumn fruits

We often forget that we can not only pick apples in the fall. We are served at Paradise des Fruits, in Dunham, in the eastern townships. In addition to 23 varieties of apples, we can choose plums (blue, yellow, red) and autumn raspberries. A good number of pear varieties are also sold on site (but not available for your own choice). It is advisable to call before going to check the availability of fruits, but this opportunity seems ideal for a trip to the area. Note that honey is also sold there.

Laila Malouf, Tap

Visit the Paradise des Fruits website

An orchard … and exhibitions

Why not combine a museum tour with apple picking? At the Beaconcore Biodiversity Center, a quarter of an hour from Trois-Rivieres, you can visit exhibitions with young children The return of prehistoric giants And Urban wildlife, funny neighbors, Or ride down St. Lawrence with older children before going to the adjacent orchard (open from mid-September). You can also observe geese and ducks in the swamps and walk along the paths to achieve an observation rally in the forest.

Laila Malouf, Tap

Visit the Beaconcore Biodiversity Center website

Choose a stone throw from the city

If you do not want to stay away from Montreal, Forget Gate Farm in Laval offers pick-your-all-fall raspberries, squash and pumpkins, as well as selling many products (tomatoes, watermelons) from its fields at the kiosk. , Cucumbers, autumn strawberries …). But to run the whole family, we’ve designed a big labyrinth so that you can even walk through the night every Friday evening! As a bonus, the picnic area is where you will find everything you need for a snack with local flavors, squash pavilion and mini-farm.

Laila Malouf, Tap

Visit the Forget Form website

Getaway

As labyrinthine has always been very popular with children (and adults!), Here is another place to have fun at the Werger Labonte in Notre-Dame-de-El-Pel‌rot. It offers three maze routes suitable for people of different ages, with puzzles associated with themes and challenges to complete in the corn maze, where unusual characters await us. Tractor ride included for picking apples and pumpkin.

Laila Malouf, Tap

Visit the Verger Labonté website

Eyes falling back

Every day until October, Dumine LaFrance, one of the leading producers of cider and apple-derived products in Quebec, invites visitors to “fall into the apples” on a 30-hectare and 13 000 apple tree farm tourist site in Saint. Joseph-du-Lock. There are about twenty varieties of apple pick-your-own (with tractor shuttle) available, but we also offer a variety of activities for all tastes: cider house / distillery, gourmet (and alcoholic!) Shop with innovations and a taste of fifty apple products. Picnic areas are set up (for food, Bistro LaFrance offers many quick meals and pastries), games for children and a small farm. On weekends, large outdoor barbecues, gourmet kiosks and a gourmet fair with a musical atmosphere will be added to the offer.

Iris Gagnan-Paradise, Tap

Visit the Domain Lawrence website

From the orchard to the table

In Saint-Joseph-du-Lock, the famous Cedrey Lacroix got a facelift last year with new facilities. It all starts with a magnificent garden of 7,000 apple trees with almost twenty varieties of apples. The U-pick here is green because the orchard does not sell plastic bags. People are encouraged to bring their reusable bags or get them on site. Cider lovers will be delighted to taste the company’s products at the bar, which has many specialties. To eat, this place’s amazing bistro offers brunches, lunches and suppers, products from orchard and local farms, as well as a gourmet stop‌over, outside, donuts-like recipes. With apple or squash poutine. Little girls can enjoy it in the play modules or by visiting the mini form.

Iris Gagnan-Paradise, Tap

Visit the website Cidry Lacroix