On recent trip to the South Carolina Upstate (and you cannot get any more Upstate than Oconee County), we stopped by Bryson’s Apple Orchard in Mountain Rest.

The seeds for Bryson’s were planted in the 1960s when Richard Bryson went on a bear hunt in Long Creek and fell in love with the area. He moved his wife and sons to the area and soon planted a few apple trees on his new farm. Every year, they added more trees until an orchard was created and became famed for its sweet and tart varieties of apples that are available from August through November. The family added peach trees in 1999 and the farm is run by Richard’s sons, Marvin and Michael, and their families.

You can pick your own or buy a bag of apples the family has picked (we made a wonderful apple pie with ours). The Sweet Tart Yates are the latest arrivals and are best picked after the first frost, so plan ahead. Bryson's also has a store at one corner of the orchard where they sell jams, jellies, honey and fresh apple cider.

It’s a great way to spend a fall Sunday after a Clemson football game.