Preschool Field Trip: Hillcrest Orchards

One of my favorite things about living in Georgia is north Georgia and the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Appalachian Trail starts in north Georgia and there are lots of beautiful mountains and hiking trails but best of all are all the apple orchards in Ellijay and Blue Ridge. We've gone to the apple orchards the last three falls and I look forward to it every year.

One of our preschool moms--Melissa--did a unit on apples so we decided to head to Ellijay on a September morning for a little preschool field trip. Hillcrest Orchards specializes in family fun. They have an apple museum, a petting zoo, a tractor ride, pig races, apple picking, duck races, cider tasting, cow milking, and so much more. It's a crazy little place but the kids had a great time. Even Benjamin, who had the kindness to throw up on the hour-long (plus) car ride up to the orchard. Luckily, I had packed some extra clothes.

Here's Adelaide milking a cow. She still talks about how she got to squeeze the cow.

Benjamin excited for the tractor ride.

All the kids learning how to plant and care for apple trees in the "apple museum."

Duck races.

Adelaide getting ready to cheer on the pigs--including Donald J. Rump and Hillary RodHAM Clinton--before the pig races. (In case you were wondering, Mr. Rump won.)

At the petting zoo. The little boy standing next to Adelaide (in the dark blue shirt) has a little crush on her and it's adorable. He always asks his mom if Adelaide is coming to storytime but then gets all shy and doesn't talk around her. And Adelaide is totally oblivious.

Adelaide holding a kitten, which she has plenty of experience with now.

After our tour, I popped over to BJ Reece Orchards across the street because they have a better selection of apples. But we also went apple picking at my favorite orchard--Mercier Orchards in Blue Ridge--two weeks ago and I'm still swimming in apples. I need to make some more applesauce tomorrow. It's the best.