October 03, 2003
Apple picking
Today's field trip with my daughter and her schoolmates was to a local apple orchard. We had a nice guide who told us everything you ever wanted to know about apple orchards, and explained such things as how to keep pests away from the trees and why bees are so important. The orchard we visited has 25 different varieties of apples (who knew there were so many) and the orchard itself began in the mid 1800s I believe. (From the Vermont is so darn small dept. the former owners of the orchard are presently neighbors of mine. It apparently was in their family for quite a while and it was sold about 3 years ago.)
Today the Freedom apples were ripe - we were even able to sample some right off the tree and they were quite deliciously tart. After sampling the fruit, the kids were allowed to pick two apples off the tree and to find some dropped apples for baking. Afterwards, we were shown an old cider press and sampled fresh cider made from some of the apples we had just picked. Yum.
The kids had a good time it seems, although they liked visting the few barnyard animals on the premises.
Side shot of the farm/orchard.
After the cider demonstration, we went inside the big barn where there is little shop and an education center explaining the role of the honeybee.
Finally, kids love sheeeeeeeep.
Sounds like a fun time. I cant wait to come home and get some fresh apples.
Posted by: Colin at October 3, 2003 03:39 PMHey an "Apple" entry that has nothing to do with the PowerBook! =) So anyway, neato photos. The photos and your entry made me remember being a little kid in Central New York. And going to the state apple festival. Sipping apple cider and eating apple pie. And scenes straight out of one of those Americana calendars. How nice it is for your little one to get to understand the concept of changing seasons and experiece some seasonal traditions too! Lucky little one.
Posted by: dancing at October 3, 2003 08:26 PM