In the family that runs Hackett's Orchard in South Hero, the passion for apples skipped a generation. Ron and Celia Hackett founded the orchard in 1967. They had two daughters who found successful careers off the farm. But Ron and Celia's grandson Devin grew up on the farm and fell in love with it. Now orchard manager, Devin eats about 10 apples a day to sample the product. He and his wife, Amanda, even changed their surname to Hackett to carry on the family name, which they share with their two sons.

Sadly, Celia died earlier this year. But Ron, now almost 89, continues to stay involved at the orchard. He mows the land. The Hacketts' orchard has expanded from five acres to 15, and the farm offers pick-your-own apples, cider doughnuts and cider.

In the latest episode of "Stuck in Vermont," Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger spent a balmy Wednesday at the orchard meeting the Hackett family, getting a tour and enjoying a hot cider doughnut.

Sollberger spoke with Seven Days about filming the episode.

Why did you feature this farm?

Fall is my favorite season, and I love visiting orchards. A few years back, I featured Allenholm Farm, across the road from Hackett's, and I vowed to come back to cover it. Devin said there were once several orchards in South Hero, but now only two remain. It's kind of funny that they are right across the road from each other.

Both orchards have their own charms, but if you want a creemee or an apple pie, go to Allenholm; if you want doughnuts or an apple crisp, head to Hackett's. It was a perfect late-summer day when I visited, excellent weather for apple picking. This was my first trip to Hackett's, but it won't be my last.

Looked like a tasty afternoon.

The first person I met at Hackett's was Deb Plumley, Devin's mom. Within a few minutes of saying hello, she handed me a hot cider doughnut. I think that makes us friends for life.

I got to film the doughnuts getting made — mouthwatering! I asked Plumley if I could use an apple for the introduction to the video, and she recommended a RubyMac, a strain of McIntosh. It is incredibly red and, when you shine it, practically glows. The RubyMac was yummy, too — both sweet and tart.

I bought a few quarts of cider, which Devin presses on the premises, and it was delicious and flavorful. Probably one of the reasons I love fall in Vermont is all the good things to eat!

What did you learn about orchards?

Devin showed me that the future of apple growing is dwarf trees, which are quite small and heavy with fruit. They are easy to maintain, prune and pick. But they aren't what you might have in mind when you go apple picking. A family could pick these tiny trees clean in 10 minutes, and it wouldn't be as fun. So orchards like Hackett's keep larger trees for people who enjoy picking their own. Hunting around the tangled maze of branches to score those precious fruits makes the experience much more of an adventure.

The microclimate in the Champlain Islands deters extreme weather fluctuations, thanks to the proximity to Lake Champlain. When many orchards lost their crops to an early frost last spring, the apples at Hackett's were fine.

It's sad to hear that Celia Hackett died earlier this year.

I would have loved to meet Celia; she sounds like an amazing woman. Devin sent me photos of his grandparents, and one picture showed Celia making one of her beloved pies. She used to make eight varieties of fruit pie, which, of course, included apples. In the early years of the orchard, when Ron was working full time off the farm, Celia held down the fort.

Devin has been working on the orchard his whole life but only recently became full time. Before that, he juggled jobs on and off the farm. Farmers certainly do work hard.

Tell us about the "canary" tree.

Devin showed me a tree that his grandpa named the "canary" tree, as in the canary in the coal mine. Ron used to watch this 100-year-old tree to see how the upcoming season would be. Devin examined it and said the buds for next year look promising. I wonder if Devin's sons will one day check this tree as well.

Does an apple a day keep the doctor away?

Of course I had to ask Devin what his favorite apple was. He said, "Every apple's my favorite, but it definitely changes." He missed lunch the day we met up, so he ate about five apples off the trees while we talked. I asked him if he ever went to the doctor, and he said it had been a while. I guess the old adage is true, which gives me an excuse to visit more orchards this fall.