Given how hard Afton and Hastings are working to avoid becoming entangled in the sprawling web of St. Paul's suburbs, we're relieved to predict that Afton Apple should be able to sustain its countryside character for some time to come. Fairly remote but still easy to find, the orchard is a fruit-picker's paradise, stretched over 170 acres of rolling fields outlined by lofty poplar trees. The spread of activities is as vast as the property Afton Apple occupies: Visitors can hop on a hayride for a tour of the apple spectrum, from tart Haralson to classic Cortland, crisp Honey Gold to succulent Sweet 16. The apple crop is at its peak from August 11 to October 31 (prime-time pickin' season varies for the 11 types of juicy reds available), but there's always something to do. Summer visitors can pluck a pint of raspberries and fall patrons can peruse the Halloween pumpkin patch. Those up for a crash course in orienteering should check out the six-acre corn maze, while the more lethargic might prefer to retreat to the recently expanded store and café to sip hot cider. Want that straight-off-the-tree authenticity without the manual labor? In addition to fresh peaches, blueberries, and cherries, Afton Apple also sells bushels and pecks of apples already picked by someone else.