Time to round up the family and head to the great outdoors

October 2006 (Medialink) - It's the best time of year for apple picking! Warm apple cider, freshly baked apple pies and gooey caramel apples are just a few delicious fall treats. The U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts that 9.62 billion pounds of apples will be produced in the United States alone this year. There are hundreds of varieties to choose from - but most people don't know the difference.

According to apple growers, the most popular eating apples are the Honeycrisp and the Macintosh. For baking pies, you want to use the Gala, the Haralson and the Courtland. You can also mix your apple varieties up to create that perfect texture for your baked goods.

It's the height of apple season, so gather your family for a visit to the orchard and then bake an apple pie.