Written by Christie Crawford
Adams, TN – There’s something about the crisp, sweet, sometimes tart bite into an apple that connotes everything fall. Whether it’s a Golden Delicious, Fuji, or Honey Crisp apple, nothing tastes better than one freshly picked at a local orchard.
At Shade Tree Farm and Orchard in Adams, you can recreate that orchard experience. In their 15th season, Shade Tree Farm owners Tom and Sarah Head (former high school sweethearts that met up later and married) never dreamed that the U pick yourself concept would become so popular.
The farm originally grew tobacco, soybeans, and corn, well-known Tennessee crops. On a lark, Tom purchased 95 apple trees at a volume discount from a local home improvement retailer. It took 5 years for the trees to develop into a full-blown harvest, and then the Heads had to decide how to market the fruit.
In 2007, they attended a conference in Knoxville on agri-tourism and decided to incorporate the U pick concept into their orchard.
Today, Shade Tree has evolved into a 7-acre farm, retail store, cider processing area, and a venue for K-3 school field trips from Montgomery County, Cheatham County, Robertson County, and Davidson County.
The Heads embrace the “Know your Farmer, Know your Food “philosophy, encourage others interested in planting apples, and offer a popular tree pruning class.
When asked about the popularity of their farm, the Heads say the presence of former transplants from large apple-growing areas such as Michigan and New York has added to the demand.
Their biggest challenge is having enough apples to satisfy the needs of those who want to pick. Many of these visitors grew up picking fruit when orchards were in abundance, and backyard fruit was common. Parents can pass on those childhood memories to their children by visiting the orchard.
2023 has been their most abundant harvest to date, featuring 12 apple varieties, including old standards such as Red and Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Gala. Also offered are unusual types such as Mutsu, a common apple in Japan, the heirloom Arkansas Black that dates to the Civil War, and a mystery apple, which they lovingly call the “Bell Witch” apple.
The picking season is from mid-August to late October. This year, it will continue through mid-September. The store is available for homemade items, fresh cider, and the ever-popular cider slushies and donuts.
Hours are Thursday-Sunday 9:00am – 4:00pm during the season. Shade Tree Farm also features blueberries, blackberries, peaches, and sunflowers at various times of the year. For more information, find them on Facebook at Shade Tree Farm, or check their website at www.shadetreeorchardtn.com
Shade Tree Farm is located at 2087 Kinneys Road, Adams, TN 37010.
On October 7th, Shade Tree Farm will host their annual Fall Festival featuring live music, a petting zoo, a bouncy castle, and vendors from 10:00am – 4:00pm. Then, special guest, country artist, and Nashville live performer Chris Monhollen will be performing from 4:00pm – 7:00pm. Their retail store will be open for handmade goods for purchase. Admission is free.
Apple Pie Bread
Ingredients
Makes: 1 loaf
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Recipe: adapted from an old cookbook
Reprinted with permission from ShadeTree Farm
Ingredients
½ cup butter softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
½ cup buttermilk or sour milk*
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups apples, shredded and peeled (about 4 medium apples)
1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
½ cup raisins, optional
*To make ½ cup sour milk, place ¾ teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar in glass measuring cup. Add enough milk to make ½ cup total liquid, and stir. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes before using.
Streusel-Nut Topping
½ cup brown sugar, packed
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease the bottom and ½-inch up the sides of a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside.
Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl for 30 seconds. Beat in sugar until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Add vanilla; beat until combined. In a separate bowl, combine baking powder, flour and salt. Slowly add flour mixture to egg mixture incrementally; beat until just combined. Add buttermilk; beat until combined. Stir in apples, nuts, and raisins. Spoon batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.
Combine brown sugar with flour in a small bowl to make the topping.
Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in nuts.
Sprinkle topping over batter. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in a pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Completely cool on a wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing.
