Fall is my favorite time of the year! It’s hard not to feel a little bit of glee when that crisp fall air starts to move in. Big piles of pumpkins start to appear at the grocery store and even (heaven forbid) Christmas decor, but for now, let’s focus on FALL. In this article, I’ll share my tips to get you in the mood for this lovely season of harvest!
Go Apple Picking!
Fruit picking is one of the best ways to get into the harvest spirit. Go alone for a meditative outing, take a bunch of friends and do a hard cider party afterwards, take your sweetie for a memorable romantic date, or pile the whole family in the car and make a big day of it. Apple orchards are also wonderful places to take family pictures so don’t forget your camera and/or professional photographer of choice! Here are a few orchards in the area:
Morning Glory Orchard
(Tina and Curt Widerman)
7690 Nolensville Rd. Nolensville
615-395-4088
www.morninggloryorchard.com
September/October hours are Tuesday-Saturday 9-5
They sell a variety of farm-grown preserves, jams, jellies, farm-made butter, honey mustard sauce, fresh apple cider, molasses, local honey, salsa, and chow chow. The Widerman’s grow a large variety of summer produce and pumpkins along with 12 varieties of apples including Red and Gold Delicious, Arkansas Black, Gala (my personal favorite), and eight more…
Breeden’s Orchard, Pie Kitchen, & Country Store
(Tommy and Mary Nell Breeden)
631 Beckwith Road, Mt. Juliet
615-449-2880
Apple picking is open to all from 10am-3:30pm Thursday-Tuesday (closed Wednesdays cause farmer’s need a day off too!) This is Breeden’s LAST APPLE SEASON so pay them a visit!
Pratt’s Orchard
(Jack Pratt)
4944 Trousdale Ferry Pk. Lebanon
615-444-7742
www.prattsorchard.com
Monday-Saturday 8am-5pm / Sunday Noon-5pm
Their apple season begins in August with Mutsu, Yellow Delicious, Staymans, and Winesap, and ends the end of October with Arkansas Black. This is a family run business and they welcome children into the orchard!
Visit a Nashville area Pumpkin Patch!
Walden Pumpkin Farm
(Randy Walden)
8653 Rocky Fork Rd. Smyrna
615-220-2918
www.walkenfarm.biz
Check website for hours. Closed on Wednesdays.
Walden Farm is a family favorite with a wonderful pick-your-own pumpkin patch as well as a variety of pre-picked pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn, straw bales, and other fall harvest items. They offer a great selection on their full service food menu as well as the essential pumpkin patch favorites including a corn maze, hayrides, farm animals, and a play area for the children. Admission to the farm is free, but some activities cost extra. See website for updated prices.
Gentry’s Farm
(Allen and Cindy Gentry)
1974 Hwy 96 W. Franklin
615-794-4368
www.gentryfarm.com
This seventh generation farm has been in the Gentry family for over 165 years. It’s open from the last weekend of September through the end of October with a great fall activity area including acres of pick-your-own pumpkins, hayrides, a corn maze, fun farm animals, and barns to explore. They also give fall field trips to school groups by reservation.
Admission: $7 per person ages 2-65 (under 2 years and over 65 are free)
Go on a Nature Hike!
The best way to experience fall is to get outside and breathe in some crisp, cooler air. I love to take hikes alone, with girlfriends, as a romantic outing with my man, and any time family and friends visit town… Nashville has WONDERFUL hiking opportunities, but for now, I’ll feature my favorite fall hike in Nashvillle:Radnor Lake State Park
Radnor is a 1,332-acre Class II Natural Area meaning it is a day use area only (no camping or picnicking allowed.) While we’re on the topic of what you can’t do at Radnor, the most wooded part of the hike does not allow jogging or pets. Because of this, it’s a great place for hikers to observe and photograph wildlife. In the quiet, still woods along the water, you’ll likely get an up-close view of owls, deer, cranes, ducks, and more. There are benches along the path with beautiful views, and I’d say the hike is easy to medium, depending on which trails you take. My kids do the Lake Trail Loop easily in about an hour. Much of the trail is shaded so bring a light jacket if there is a chill in the air. If you do want to jog, bike, or walk your dogs, you can do so on the Otter Creek Road Trail which is lovely too. The Lake Trail is accessible to people with all-terrain wheelchairs, but some spots can be bumpy with wood chips and gravel.
I suggest you park at the West Parking Lot off Granny White Pike and visit the Walter Criley Visitor Center which has exhibits on the history of the natural area, cultural/historical artifacts, wildlife displays, a wall size map of the trail system, and an 18 minute film on how the natural area was saved in the early 1970s. And do you want to know the BEST part about Radnor? With all its natural beauty and wildlife, it’s only 20 minutes (11.6 miles) from downtown Nashville! This state park (and all our state and national parks) are such a gift.
Radnor Lake State Natural Area
1160 Otter Creek Road
Oak Hill, TN 37220
(615) 373-3467
Update Your Look With Fall Accessories!
So now that we have all of your outings planned, I have to mention the everyday way I get into the fall spirit… accessories. My beloved scarf collection is begging to get back into action! Pull out the corduroy jeans, floppy hats, leather (or fake leather) jackets, and boots! If you want to update your wardrobe with some great new fall accessories, and love a bargain, I think you really can’t beat Target and TJ Maxx, and even Forever 21 for fun, low cost, trendy pieces. Vintage stores can also be a great option if you have patience and a love of hunting. I have a blog post on the best vintage store in Nashville. Join the e-mail list to the right so you can stay updated!
If you want to shop local boutiques, here are a few of my favorite Nashville picks for fall shopping:
I absolutely love this store! Located in the Gulch near downtown Nashville, you’ll find an eclectic mix of men’s and women’s clothes and gifts. They even have a music venue with live performances from up-and-coming artists with day and evening shows. If you watch the show, “Nashville”, you may remember when Juliette Barnes told her fans to come to Two Old Hippies for a live show to debut her new record. And to top it off, as if this place could get any more Nashville, Two Old Hippies sells guitars with an impressive collection of premium acoustic stringed instruments built by some of the most popular artisans in the world. Specializing in Breedlove, Bedell and Weber instruments, they carry a wide variety of boutique and major brands along with accessories and gifts for the acoustic lover. (Oh, and look for the VW Van inside the store. Super cool…)
Address:
401 12th Ave South,
Nashville, TN 37203
1-615-254-7999
www.TwoOldHippies.com
Mon-Thurs: 10am-7pm / Fri-Sat: 10am-8pm / Sun: 11am-6pm
Just down the street from Two Old Hippies, you’ll find BLUSH, a wonderful boutique with sexy, fun, and flirty clothes. I learned about Blush from two friends of mine who always look fabulous. They both said they buy most of their clothes there. I checked it out and was hooked! Sexy, fun, and flirty is how I would describe the style of Blush.
Check it out for yourself at:
606 12th Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 401-9599
www.BlushBoutiques.com
Well, that’s all for now. I hope you got some good tips and inspiration from this Fall Guide! Get out and enjoy all that this spectacular town has to offer!
And as many of you know, as much as I love blogging, I put food on the table as a full-time Real Estate Agent and hope you’ll keep me in mind if you are looking to buy or sell! I absolutely love helping each of my clients find the perfect property in this spectacular town… Call me at (615) 500-9513.
Sincerely,
Sarah Jane Nelson, REALTOR®
