Are we fooling ourselves by thinking that picking our own apples is a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon?

You can't drive anywhere in our area this time of year without getting bombarded by signs for pick-your-own apples. Orchards are packed with fresh apples, just waiting for gullible people to pluck them off the trees and take them home.

While trudging through a muddy field hauling a 50lb sack of apples you have no intention of ever eating, it may have dawned on you that this is the stupidest thing you've ever done. Well, you may be right, but here's an argument why stupid apple picking is actually not so stupid after all.

For one, the apples you get at the orchard are really inexpensive. If you were to buy the same, insane amount of apples at the grocery store it would probably cost you a mortgage payment. And while you probably won't ever eat them all, you most likely will eat way more apples than you normally would, which is a good thing for your health.

As for the whole apple picking event, sure it's a hassle. Battling tourists from the city for a parking spot, walking all the way to the back of the orchard to find apples that are still good enough to pick and having to wait in line for hours for a hot cider donut isn't anyone's idea of fun. But getting out of the house, enjoying the fresh air and tasting that hot cinnamon donut makes it all worthwhile.

So, while it's true that only chumps fall for the whole apple picking scam, you'll most likely be a happy chump, glad that you've taken advantage of one of our areas stupidest, and most cherished pastimes.

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