Sunday, September 28, 2008

A day on the farm

Harrison, Bennett and I headed out to the Center Grove Orchard on Saturday.  It was a gorgeous day and I was excited to do something with my boys.  And apple picking happens to be one of Harrison's favorite things.

This was the best orchard I have been to here in the Des Moines area.  It is located out by Cambridge and has so much more than apples - but there are apples.  4,500 apples trees in 31 varieties with 7 more varieties being added.  It's huge!

When we got out of the car Harrison wanted to go pick apples.  I told him we were going to look around for a little bit to see what we could find.  Whoa!  Let me tell you what we found!  

There was a 'storybook' area where the 3 Little Pigs was being told.  The area had 'real' houses as well.  Harrison went into each house and made me be the big bad wolf and then he would run over to the next house.  When we got the brick house and I couldn't blow it down, he wanted me to try and get up on the roof like the wolf.  I told him there was already a wolf on the roof and when he looked, there was!  He howled and went running away holding his scorched behind.  So funny!
Next we went to see the ducks and the chickens and the goats (with babies - too cute) and the real 3 little pigs.  Bennett took forever at the ducks.  He would laugh and then point and say duck.  He did this over and over.  He was just enthralled by the whole experience.
After that it was off for some tractor riding.  Harrison finally got on one he could peddle.  He has been on these types of toys so many times and he always gets discouraged  because they are too hard to peddle.  Not this one.  And my dad would be so proud that it was an Allis-Chalmers and not a John Deere!!!  
Next was the ever dreaded corn pit.  The corn gets everywhere!  But children always seem to  have the best time at the corn pit.  And this was one of the biggest I had ever seen.  They had a blast and it wasn't even that hard to get them out when it was time for the hay ride.
After the hay rack ride and we decided it was time to go pick apples.  Now, I must tell you, it was 11:55 am when we entered the apple orchard.  I had told Harrison that there were apples in the store that were already picked and we could just grab them and go home for lunch, but I don't know why I even suggested it.  The answer was a big fat no.  So out to the orchard we went.

The great thing about orchards is that you pre-purchase a bag to fill, but while you are out there you can eat all the apples you like.  I think Harrison ate 3!  And he finishes them almost all the way down to the seeds!

It was a great time.  Bennett is continuing with some 'stranger danger' drama and that can be a little overwhelming at times - like when you are on a trailer with 20 other people and the tractor is certainly not going to pull over a mile away from the farm to let you off (not that you would want him to, unless of course he would let you just leave the screaming toddler...).  We had invited my cousin and her boys along but they couldn't make it.  I think we just might have to go back when they can!!!
The end.  P.S.  Yes, that is Harrison's 4th apple that he fell asleep eating!

2 comments:

Meredith Wilcke said...

This reminds me of the corn maze we went to last year... but more fun! :) Harrison and James wouldn't get in the corn pile last year. Ha. We miss you guys, wish we could have gone too.

Tome said...

Great photos! You were right - that orchard is amazing!