The Fruit Loop is a serial tour of more than two dozen fruit orchards and farm stands in a valley so picturesque you may be tempted to head for the nearest real estate office to see how much of it your little nest egg will buy.

Short of that, the Hood River Valley is a prime place to visit this time of year for golden fall vistas and a bounty of apples, pears and lots of other good stuff – like overstuffed pies and spicy cider – that people conjure up in the shadow of Oregon’s tallest mountain.

At about 150 miles from Bend, this is no hop-in-the-car morning’s jaunt. But plan an entire day to savor this pastoral paradise and you can come away with a bushel of memories and a carload of fruit.

At John and Brady Jacobson’s Mt. Hood Organic Farms and Garden Cottages, on Smullen Road near the southern edge of the orchard zone, we wend our way back to the sales/packing shed along a rustic little lane hemmed in by apple trees, some of which were planted a century ago. The place has a timeless feel and the verdant, manicured look of a fairy tale frontispiece.

Wrapped with insulation in anticipation of some new siding to come, the utilitarian building at the end of the driveway stands in contrast to the rest of the 205-acre property.

Outside, apples – Fujis, gala, jonagold – and pears – Anjou, Bosc, red Comice – are piled in bins to be bagged by customers. Inside the cold shed, the Jacobsons are packing fruit for shipment. But they’re not too busy to stop and weigh a modest purchase or engage in a few minutes of friendly conversation.

The orchard business is tough; it’s hard to pencil in a profit, says John Jacobson. But this valley is a kind of Eden for these California transplants. And one gets the impression that it’s the tourists, though they account for only a small percentage of their business, who bring fun and verve to the venture.

”It’s fun to visit with people who are having a good time,” says John Jacobson, who admits he’s grown weary of the impersonal corporate nature of the agriculture industry. ”You pick up on that enjoyment vicariously.”

There’s another reason the Jacobsons like to see visitors motoring up their drive.

They have an overabundance of fruit this time of year.

The Jacobsons rent out two cottages to overnight guests and encourage people to picnic among their fruit trees, launch mountain bike or hiking adventures from the farm property, even wet a line in their pond.

Down the road a ways, Mt. View Orchards and Fruit Stand, presents a different face to the fruit-looping public. Pulling in to Ruthie and Lyle McAlexander’s orchards on a Sunday afternoon, it looks and feels like a harvest party.

Vehicles are tucked in between trees and customers poke among the bins, sampling the different pear and apple varieties, sipping cider, browsing in the little country store full of handmade goodies. Children are encouraged to saddle up a pedal tractor or play croquet. Some days, they even offer hayrides.

The McAlexanders have been orchardists for more than 25 years, shipping their wares across the country, but again, visitors get the distinct impression that this is what they love. Both mingle freely among the milling shoppers, answering questions, sharing a chuckle.

A bonus for the month of October: The McAlexanders are offering a pound of red delicious apples for every 10 miles a customer drives to reach the farm (with a minimum $5 purchase). That’s 15 pounds for the average Central Oregonian.

In all, there are 27 farms and stands in the Hood River region, a few of which grow summer fruits and are closed this time of year. But for the next few weeks, Hood River’s orchard zone should be buzzing.

Visit one of the stands, pick up an official Fruit Loop map, and begin your tour there.

For more information and maps, call the Hood River County Chamber of Commerce at 541-386-2000 or visit the Fruit Loop Web site at www.hoodriverfruitloop.com.

Jim Witty can be reached at 541-617-7828 or jwitty@bendbulletin.com.