Ann's first field trip

One of the advantages of living in US is that the kids here have wonderful school field trips. They visit farms, planetariums, attend musicals....it is a very different sort of education. And I am a firm believer of such kind of education. Education should be about learning and growing, it should be a never-ending process, it should be about broadening one's horizon and feeding one's soul. Not about mugging, sitting for exams and scoring straight As. If the As come along, be thankful but if they don't, it won't be the end.

Ann was excited when she knew she was going on a field trip with her class. They were going to the Strawberry Acres. We have been there twice but every trip was different because they have a very huge orchard and at different time of the year, different fruits were available for picking.

Over here in the US, when pre-schoolers go on field trips, one parent has to come along. It was great that hubby took time off to come along with us. Ann was very happy, she has always been a daddy's little girl.


Different classroom setting with a different kind of teacher. Some short history on how Strawberry Acres started


Indoor lesson has ended, now for outdoor lesson


Part of the orchard


It's apple season now, a lesson on how to pluck apples. Listening attentively


Now, the real thing, picking apples


It was tough job, picking apples...finally rest and snack time


Time to visit other parts of the farm. The animals! Somehow, animals and kids have a special bond.


This is not a sand-box. It's a corn-box. These corn are dried and inside the box, are treasures.
The kids were suposed to dig up the treasures!


I suppose you can call this a pumpkin patch.


These are the royal gala apples


Cortland apples. We plucked these to bring home to enjoy


Red delicious apples. The difference between Cortland and Red delicious apples is in their size. Cortland apples
are bigger in size.

I am not an apple person but these apples are the most crispy, fresh and juicy apples I have ever tasted in my whole life.

Other than apples, they also have peaches which hubby came and plucked in August...


...and raspberries

It was one very enjoyable field trip for Ann and all her little friends. If you have a chance to bring your kids to any orchards, make sure you give them the opportunity to see, feel, smell and pick their own fruits. It is one great science lesson. When we were in Melbourne, Kai and Ann also had the opportunity to pluck strawberries and they thoroughly enjoyed it. By the way, although the place is called Strawberry Acres, they don't grow strawberries!?


Finally...my turn to be embraced by mother nature!