By Merin Curatolo, Contributing writer
Daemen students adventured off campus Sunday, Oct. 19, to celebrate the autumn season at Smith’s Apple Orchard.
Hosted by the Campus Activities Team (CAT), 42 students traveled to the orchard located in Pendleton, New York, and were treated to free doughnuts, cider slushies and apple picking.
Hayley Pizur is one of CAT’s Off Campus Events Programmers who facilitated the event, traveling to the orchard along with the students.
“My favorite part of this event was the ability for students to actualize the exciting endeavors of the autumn season with their friends and fellow peers,” Pizur said. “I particularly enjoyed the laughter as students worked together to reach apples at the tree peaks while taking snapshots of the teamwork unfolding.”
Although it’s late in the apple season, the event was fully booked within a few days.
According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, New York is the second largest apple growing state in the country, with approximately 600 commercial apple growers. The state averages 29.5 million bushels of production each year. Millions of people go apple picking in New York each year.
Despite the popularity of this fall activity, not all Daemen students have participated in it before.
Cathleen De Oliveira is a second-year natural science major in the PA program from Long Island. This event was the first time she had ever gone apple picking.
“It was my first time ever picking an apple off the tree myself,” De Oliveira stated. “It really made me appreciate all the work farmers do.”
De Oliveira was joined by roommate Vika Falcon, a second-year pre-vet student. This is now the second time Falcon has participated in the CAT apple picking event. Yet, she found this time special.
“I enjoyed being involved in Cathy’s first apple picking experience,” she said.
According to the New York Apple Association, the apple industry provides employment to thousands of New Yorkers, through farming processes such as growing, harvesting and packing, along with fruit handling, distribution and exporting.
The small, 20-acre family farm has eight different apple varieties: Macintosh, Cortland, Empire, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Crispin, Ida Red and Rome.
They also sell other vegetables and fruits, such as grapes and pumpkins. Because this event took place late in the season, some apple varieties were unavailable.
Yet, the orchard has more benefits than just the enjoyment of visiting. Despite being allergic to the pollen found in apples, De Oliveira said the fresh, farm grown apples triggered her allergies less than ones bought at the grocery store.
She particularly enjoyed the Golden Delicious apples. “This is genuinely the first apple I’ve had in years,” she said.
Students were allowed to pick as many apples as could fit into the small size bags provided. After they were done exploring the orchard, the students were treated to complimentary doughnuts and apple cider slushies.
Many students purchased separately and left with other items like coffee, gallons of cider, slushies and even pumpkins.
Pizur shared her hope that, following the excitement of the apple picking event, more students would be encouraged to participate in CAT hosted events.
“We aim to ensure that all students feel welcome, included, and have their interests displayed in an event across our campus,” Pizur said, “Your time at university is ultimately life-changing, and we hope that we can be a part of that experience in the attendance of our events.”
With the collaboration between Daemen University and Smith’s Apple Orchard being so successful, it opens the doors for more off-campus fall events in the future.
“The welcoming atmosphere of Smith’s Cider Mill is likely to bring about a fall tradition in campus events for generations of students to come.” Pizur said.
Information about all CAT events can be found through Daemen Connect or contact Nathan Flintjer at NFlintje@Daemen.edu.