A Field Trip to an Apple Orchard

I chuckle to myself each Fall when I get a letter home from school announcing that one of the kids is taking a field trip to a local orchard.  You see, growing up on an orchard all during my childhood ... and now working there ... means that my kids are an active part of it too.  They go with me to the orchard every Sunday morning and sometimes during the week.  They love it!

So, the idea of going to another orchard is kind of anti-climatic for me, but I guess that, to the kids, they just view it as a chance to go somewhere that they already enjoy.  They look forward to it with such anticipation and I love to capture that feeling in pictures.

Sophia and I went on her field trip last week, and it was so special to spend some quality one-on-one time afterwards too.  (A special thanks to Grammy for watching Jack at home!).  We know how to dress for outside weather -- boots, jeans, warm outerwear -- unlike some of the other kids in her class that dressed in poor shoes for traipsing through the orchard!

Starting our venture out into the orchard -- through the wet grass!

I couldn't resist a quick picture of my little girl next to an apple tree:

With her friend, Isabella:

First in line, following our tour guide:

Finding the last few dandelions of the season:

Receiving a quick lesson in grafting:

Learning about 18-bushel bins of apples:

Checking out the "cider apples:"

Watching cider being made:

And the highlight of the field trip?  Cider and donuts!

Posing with a few pumpkins before we left the orchard:

Afterwards, I surprised Sophia with a lunch date.  Just her and me.  It was a perfect day!