Apple Country Tour: 2017 Edition
Every October I like to head up to North Carolina, buy some apples, then do some exploring. This year I decided I wanted to head west of Hendersonville, and the town of Laurel Park seemed like an intriguing place to explore. Sky Top Orchard Sky Top Orchard, on Pinnacle Mountain near Zirconia, was along the way to Laurel Park so I stopped here rather than seek out the many orchards east of Hendersonville along US 64. I had hoped the orchard wouldn't be too crowded since it was a weekday. Wishful thinking! The parking area in front were full so I had to park in the overflow area. Several school buses from South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee were parked out front. School children were busy playing, eating, and touring the orchard. Inside the shed I admired their antique apple cider press machines on display. I selected a half bushel of Granny Smith apples (my favorite!) and paid the cashier . When I made it back out to the overflow parking area, I noticed even more people