henrietta creek apple orchard field trip

burrito's first grade classmates went on a field trip on the big school bus to henrietta creek apple orchard today.  when i heard the location of his first field trip, i knew noodle and i would not pass this one up!  i love the fall field trips the most.

visiting an apple orchard was a first for me and it was so fun!  i highly recommend this place!

the program started in a little covered pavilion with a woman dressed in prairie clothes talked to the kids about living on a farm long ago and famililes being large so that there would be plenty of people to work the farm.  she showed the kids how to pick cotton and turn it into thread to make clothes and blankets.

then we broke up into groups and were led around the orchard by a tour guide.  our guide was mrs. peel (isn't that hysterical?!?!?) and she was very smart about all things gardening.  we stopped and looked at okra and black-eyed pea plants.

 here she was showing the kids a dried up sunflower and the seeds they keep to feed the birds.

 next was cotton.  she showed everyone different colors of cotton and how to remove the seeds.

 this is a picture of the orchard taken by noodle. :)

another picture taken by noodle.  it's amazing to me how cooperative burrito is when noodle's behind the camera!

this is a plant that grows a large sponge, like the loofah sponges you can buy at bath and body works.  it grew on a trellis shaped like a tent and all the kids loved walking through it.

 here is a butterfly garden planted with flowers that attract butterflies.  the kids have their arms out trying to get a butterfly to land on them!

 morning glory vines were growing over this trellis they call the worm tunnel because at the end of the tunnel is a large barrel full of dirt and worms with a little peek-through window.

 here are tour guide, mrs. peel, is telling the kids not to walk under this next tree because it grows horse apples and if they fall on your head it will hurt.  she's holding a horse apple in her hand.

 and just as she is warning everyone of the dangers of the horse apple tree, two fall down to the ground and that's what burrito is pointing at here!

 here's a picture of noodle listening...he's in the mavericks shirt on the left.  i think sometimes he thinks he's in first grade too!

 and finally, after all that listening and learning we were able to pick our own apples!  they grow dwarf apple trees here and because it is so hot, the apples never turn red....just green.

 my little apple-pickers!

 after we picked our apples, we went into the bakery and put all the apples through the apple washing machine.  yep, there is such a thing and i've seen it!  then we went back outside to chomp on the apples, complete with a little honey!

 yummo!  check out that bite!

 and to end the day, we just couldn't resist getting a class picture!

what a fun adventure!  the only thing i could complain about was my allergies.  oh well, it was worth it!  i love making these sweet memories with my boys!