First Grade field trip to the farm

I had the day off work today so I decided to join Luca and her first grade class on a field trip to a local farm here in Auburn. The family owned farm is over 100 years old and is situated on a large piece of land not far from the Auburn city golf course.

About 50 first grade students along with a few parents and teachers arrived by bus at the farm and were separated into four groups. Each group went to a station at the farm. The stations were:

1. The Barn
2. The Hen House
3. The Orchard
4. The Garden

At each station we met a guide who explained the area and had the kids do an activity or two. At the barn the kids turned the handle on an old fashioned churn filled with cream. As the kids took turns at the churn the cream slowly turned to butter. At the hen house the kids learned that each hen can lay up to one egg a day. They also went on a hunt for eggs which the kids enjoyed. At the orchard the kids learned about apples and took turns at the apple press to extract apple juice. Luca enjoyed the garden area the most. The kids learned what it takes to plant vegetables and were given tools to till the soil and plant a seed of their own. Luca chose to plant a pumpkin seed.

Everyone at the farm was so kind and accommodating. I could tell they were happy to help the kids learn what it takes to work on a farm. When one women told the kids that farmers have to work every day of the year, even Christmas, one little boy said, “I guess I won’t be a farmer”.

I learned that first grade children are very curious, have lots of energy and have a zest for life. They are learning to read and write and you see their little minds soaking up chunks of knowledge.

After we finished our project at the last station we boarded the big yellow bus for the return trip to the school. I forgot how high up a school bus sits as I watched the kids look down on the passing cars. I sat by Luca who had called “window seat” in advance. She was wearing her yellow rain coat and pink rain boots. She was excited to tell me what she’d learned at the farm and couldn’t wait to tell mom and her brother and sister what she’d done. She held my hand and thought it was funny that her hands were cold and mine were warm.

As we got close to the school she turned to me and said, “Dad, I’m glad you came with me today”.