Regional visit 7: Carver’s Orchard and Applehouse Restaurant

First opened in 1942, Carver’s is a must-try for visitors to Cosby who need some refreshment after their outdoor adventures. Only a 20-minute drive from the Cosby Nature Trail, it’s the perfect place to stop before beginning the trek home. Weathered wooden signs announce the orchard’s presence long before it comes into view, but the sprawling 75-acre establishment is impossible to miss. 

Rows of apple trees flank the driveway to the main building, where visitors will find a restaurant with homestyle country favorites, an applehouse full of every variety apple and a plethora of other produce for sale along with jams, jellies and baked goods, and a candy store with nostalgic favorites like sarsaparilla soda and taffy. The apples from the orchard are served in the restaurant, turned into cider, jam, jelly, butter, pies, and fritters to be sold in the applehouse, and sold whole by the bushel. Visitors may not pick their own apples, but Carver’s staff does the hard work for you and is happy to provide recommendations of which apple variety you will prefer depending on how you plan to cook or eat them. 

Encouraged by our growling stomachs, my dad and I opted to get lunch in the restaurant before exploring the rest of the property. The fried chicken, pinto beans, cooked apples, and dumplings were authentic, delicious and homey, while the view to our right provided a scenic backdrop for our lunch. We bought a half-bushel of Jonagold Apples, fresh okra, potatoes, and some candy for the road; and the freshness and quality of the products did not disappoint. 

I can’t emphasize enough the importance of knowing where our food comes from, and places like Carver’s provide opportunities for both education and experience. Being able to watch apple harvesting while eating the very same apples puts into perspective how little we know about where most of our food comes from, but we can change this by shopping at local and sustainable business, like this one, that encourage farm-to-table eating and firsthand knowledge of what has gone into the preparation of our food. Not only is it better for the environment, but it’s better for you, too!