Fresh Air, Fresh Produce

   Moderate temperatures for the past few weeks have encouraged people to enjoy outdoor activities more often. However, for someone like me, the most acceptable way to spend a Sunday would be to hole up in my room, finishing assignments for the week and avoiding contact with humans, if possible; the balance between rejuvenating my mind by going outdoors and being conscious of COVID-19 risks is delicate and fraught with ethical considerations.
Despite my scruples about taking an excursion, my friend and I decided to find out if there was a way to safely enjoy something close to campus. It occurred to me that it was currently harvest season and that I had not taken advantage of our local agrarian abundance in the past. Thus, after a quick Google search of “farms in Berrien Springs,” we visited the first three locations mentioned, all within a 10-minute drive from Andrews University.
   The first stop was Bixby Orchards, which featured a small produce stand including watermelons, cucumbers, zucchini, and honey. Plump pumpkins were lined on the side, waiting for any avid pumpkin carver or pumpkin pie enthusiast to whisk them away. If we had arrived earlier in the month, we might have procured a sunflower or two as well. Although there was not much to do, especially as we arrived close to the closing time, the peaceful drive to the orchard and the picturesque field in front of the parking space were enjoyable for a serene Sunday early afternoon. Perhaps unwisely denting our college budgets, we also left with a small $8 jar of apple blossom honey, 75-cent cucumber and $1 golden squash.
   Next on the list was Hildebrand Fruit Farms. After covetously glancing over the selection of squash and gourds sitting on the ground, accented by mini pumpkins priced at a quarter each, we walked up to the table in front of the red barn. Well-organized rows upon rows of multiple apple varieties were available for purchase. A woman next to us inquired about the recommended variety of apples for apple pie, while I lamented my lack of an adequate reason to ask for a similar explanation, especially because I did not come for a basketful of apples. We quickly paid for the $5 gallon of apple cider we wanted and left. When we later tasted it, it was just what apple cider should be—refreshing, clean, and tight as a fresh apple.
   The most fruitful part of the trip was at Lazy Acre Vineyard, where families geared with hats, buckets, plastic bags, and shears were diligently picking through the rows of vines and plump grapes. The elderly owners were very willing to point people to the right direction for each kind of grape, and kindly advised taste-testing and taking only the darkest bunches. We took this advice to heart, possibly eating as many grapes as we collected, like most people at any U-pick. We also filled our eyes and camera storage with the natural beauty of the fruit, which existed on a spectrum of shades, speckles, and ripeness, not like the homogeneous factory-perfect grapes at a supermarket. Even the shriveled grapes added to the aesthetic, dramatically juxtaposed with the pristine ones. After experiencing the thrills of a treasure hunt, appreciating both curtains of untouched grapes and hidden grape clusters in thoroughly-picked areas, we bought 2 pounds of grapes at $1 per pound.
   Despite thinking that all of this would consume a huge portion of my precious Sunday, this was not the case. I realized that it is not a waste of time to appreciate the fine weather, coloring leaves and fruit-bearing plants that evidence the passage of time, and a walk with a friend. This may be even more important in current times because going outdoors reduces the risk of transmitting the coronavirus and improves one’s mood. While not posing a risk to others by maintaining appropriate distance and wearing masks, we can still reap the benefits of this fall season. I certainly did, in both very material and intangible ways.