Antonia Moffa/The Hofstra Chronicle

As soon as fall officially began, planning for the customary trip to upstate New York to go apple picking was in full effect. I was approached by my friends to accompany them on this annual event. Much to their surprise, I had never gone apple picking before, nor did I have the slightest notion of what this trip would entail.

As one would imagine to be the case with any first-time trips, I had multiple outfits laid out on the bed, as I was unsure of what to wear. Eventually I put on a vibrant green, wooly sweater with a pair of jeans and boots then headed on the long-awaited trip to Lawrence Farms in the Hudson Valley.

Another interesting fact about this fall trip is that I had never been to upstate New York before, which surprised my friends and made them even more enthusiastic to take me. The drive was filled with anticipation, and I must admit, the way a twelve-year-old child feels when going to the toy store is probably the best way to describe the moment.

After what seemed like an eternity, we finally arrived at Lawrence Farms, where we were greeted by the unexpected sight of mountains and endless greenery on the horizon. It was in this very moment that my whole perception of New York changed forever.

When most people look at New York as outsiders, they think about Times Square and Broadway, but the state is so much more. The Hudson Valley is truly one of those special places that gives you the cozy small-town feeling while still maintaining the New York attitude.

If you are one of those people who were raised with only three types of apples (red, green and yellow), I am one of you! But once I saw the abundance of apple tree varieties at the farm, the trip really became a learning experience, as each individual type of apple had its own texture and taste labeled.

On top of getting to pick apples, you actually learned about the wide variety available at Lawrence Farms. The atmosphere was divine, with so many colors, textures and flavors to choose from; I must admit, I have finally found my love for apples.

As we got our steps in on the countless acres of greenery, I could not hide the excitement on my face; I learned that Lawrence Farms also had a vegetable field, and I instantaneously began picking my own eggplants, broccoli and spinach. The veggies actually made a great spinach egg the next morning! I also bought pumpkin butter, which until that moment, I had never heard of … but I’ve been told you can make pumpkin butter bread or cake from it, which is always a good way to try new things.

We ended our trip with the most superb doughnuts and french fries from the eatery at the farm, including a fantastic view of the mountains on the horizon. The sunset was truly a special moment and a great way to end the trip.

I highly suggest that anyone visiting the New York area should go to Lawrence Farms, especially during the fall.

You can read more about the trips I have taken across the U.S. and the Middle East on my blog, Fawwazland.com.