If you landed here looking for a fun family activity, or you simply want to pick fresh fruit in Arkansas, I am thankful you found this post. Cadron Crest Orchard is a great place to take your family apple or peach picking. My name is Diane Roark. I blog about easy recipes at Recipes For Our Daily Bread, and family fun travel ideas at Our American Travels.

Cadron Crest Orchard

Last year we had to find another place to pick fresh, delicious Arkansas peaches. We lived across the street from Collins Round Mountain Orchard. Unfortunately, they sold the land last year to a developer which meant no more peach picking. Fortunate for us we found another terrific place, Cadron Crest Orchard. Cadron Crest Orchard is a unique farm in Guy, Arkansas. They grow fresh Apples, Peaches, Strawberries, Watermelon, grapes, watermelon, tomatoes, sweet corn and cantaloupe that I saw. If you are looking for something else, you can call them at the number below for more information or see their Facebook page here. They are open May through September where you can walk through rows and rows of beautiful peach or apple trees. You can pick your fruit and vegetables fresh from the farm to your table.

Cadron Creek Orchard

Nothing is better than eating fresh farm fruit and vegetables except for eating the fresh farm fruits and vegetables you picked. It is super fun for the entire family. We race around the orchard trying to see who can spot the prettiest piece of fruit. A little family competition fills our basket of fresh fruit in no time.

What did we pick from Cadron Creek Orchard?

We have picked fresh peaches and apples at Cadron Creek Orchard. They had tons of beautiful apples and peaches just waiting to be picked. When you arrive at the orchard, they tell you exactly what they are picking and where to go. They even give you a basket to fill.

Cadron Crest Orchard Peaches

What did we do with all our fresh peaches?

I am from the south which means I love sweet ice tea. What makes sweet ice tea even better is peach syrup. Which I made plenty of with the peaches we picked. I also made peach fritters and slow cooker peach butter.

And, of course, everybody’s favorite – Peach Ice Cream

Fresh-Peach-Ice-Cream-2

Diane Roark: Fresh Peach Ice Cream

Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream
3 cups frozen Peaches Sliced, Slice your fresh peaches and freeze them first.
½ cup sugar

Instructions

For a Regular Blender

Chop the frozen peaches and place in a blender on high.
In a bowl whisk the sugar into the cream.
Add in the cream and sugar through the opening in the lid, stopping to stir the mixture.
Blend until smooth. (the cream will thicken slightly)
Place this mixture is a freezer container and freeze for 2 to 3 hours.

For a Vitamix

f you have a Vitamix, simply add all ingredients to the mixer with the heavy cream on the bottom. Blend on high about 2 minutes until the four separate sections form on top.
Eat immediately or Freeze for a couple of hours.

https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/diane-roark-cadron-crest-orchard-foodie-friday/

By Debbie Arnold of Dining With Debbie

One of my favorites for summer dining is a simple cheese and fruit plate, such as this Feta with Peppered Honey and Toasted Almonds served along with locally grown Arkansas peaches. This plus a fresh-from-the-garden salad (or local farmers’ market) and probably some crunchy bread might easily be a meal at our house. If needed, a simple protein, perhaps a chicken breast, thrown on the grill could round it out.

The fruit and cheese plate serves two roles: as an appetizer or as a dessert. It’s summer in the south, ya’ll and that means it’s hot! While most Southern belles “glisten,” I sweat, especially when the oven comes on. Fortunately, Hubby’s great with the grill and the smoker, and he really doesn’t mind a light meal at all.

The man has will power. He does so well with his weight. I wish that trait passed on to me by osmosis. Or something that doesn’t involve dieting and exercise (aka work). But he does have a weakness for desserts, nuts and cheeses.

feta with honey 2 Foodie Friday

Ta – dah! This Feta With Peppered Honey and Toasted Almonds works perfectly to satisfy his cravings (and mine), and it borders on healthy when served alongside fresh, locally grown summer fruits. I think peaches , such as those we get from our Arkansas Grown friends at Peach Pickin’ Paradise (Twitter) in Clarksville or Barnhill Orchards in Lonoke, are perfect but you can use whatever fruit you like. I usually use slivered almonds, but here again, you can use toasted walnuts or pecans if that’s what you have and what you prefer. I prefer the honey I get from P. Allen Smith’s Moss Mountain Farm hives. If you’re lucky enough to have your own hives, or have a neighbor who does, then definitely use that.

Don’t limit yourself to feta for this dish either. Goat cheese or homemade ricotta (check that out next week on Dining With Debbie) work very well. I like feta because of its sharpness which contrasts nicely with the sweetness of the honey. And you just won’t believe what the cracked pepper does until you give it a try! Not a pepper fan? Leave it off. There’s nothing hard and fast about the cheese plate — always suit the tastes of yourself and your family. Be brave. Experiment. Some of my best dishes, okay and some of my worst, have been through experimentation.

feta with honey Foodie Friday

If you have edible flowers available, such as nasturtiums, use those as garnish. The peppery flavor of the nasturtiums goes quite nicely with this dish. Or, garnish with basil or mint for a different palate pleaser.

Summer is all about relaxing, and this dish definitely fits that bill. Take it easy, ya’ll.

What are some of your go-to summer dishes? I hope you’ll share.

Feta with Peppered Honey and Toasted Almonds

2014-07-10 09:47:55

Serves 4

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Ingredients

8 ounces chunk feta
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely cracked black pepper
1/4+ cup honey
1/4 + cup toasted slivered almonds
Fruit or crackers
Mint or edible flowers for garnish, optional

Instructions

Dry feta and place on a serving platter. Chill.
Prepare fruit (slice peaches, etc.)
Stir together cracked pepper and honey.
When ready to serve, pour honey mixture over feta and arrange fruit around the cheese.
Garnish
Serve with crackers, if desired.

By Dining With Debbie

Adapted from Gourmet's Casual Entertaining

Arkansas Women Bloggers https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/

Debbie Arnold serves as a co-administrator for Arkansas Women Bloggers and pontificates and eats at Dining With Debbie. She and her Hubby split their time between Central and Northwest Arkansas. She loves to cook, develop recipes and have play dates with her two perfect grands. Mostly, she has play dates with the Perfect Ones. If you’re interested in writing for Foodie Friday, she’s the one to contact.

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Tag: peaches

Diane Roark: Cadron Crest Orchard {Foodie Friday}

Debbie Arnold: Feta with Peppered Honey and Toasted Almonds {Foodie Friday}