Hands-On Learning at the Apple Orchard

It all started with a call to a fairly obscure apple orchard.

Rothwell Family Farm and Apple Orchard in Wellington North, Ontario was suggested to me on a Facebook group called Backyard Bounties of Southern Ontario. I had never heard of the farm so I decided to give them a call and left a message detailing that I would like to bring my kids apple picking and that we homeschool.

That night, I received a call back from Terry, and he said that we were more than welcome to come by the next day while they were working in the orchard. (I didn’t know at the time that pick-your-own apples had ended 10 days earlier, and we were given special access.)

The next day, we pulled on our rubber boots and fall jackets and headed off to the farm. The drive was beautiful with the fall colours and just as much part of the trip as the apple picking. The sky was overcast and the air was crisp, a perfect fall day.

When we arrived, we were met by Terry, and he handed me 2 half bushel baskets lined in plastic bags and he led us to the trees we would be picking from. He explained the proper way to harvest apples, the types of apples we were picking (Empire and Cortland) including the history and how Empire apples were a cross of Macintosh and Red Delicious, different science experiments we could try, why and how we taste different flavours, and Terry even managed to throw a math lesson in! My kids were enthralled.

While we were apple harvesting, my kids were captivated with the whole process and wanted to keep going even when our bushels were full. They learned the importance of choosing blemish free fruit and how to handle it properly so that it wouldn’t be damaged.

We walked back to our vehicle and signalled to Terry that we were done by honking the horn. He met us and we proceeded to go to the farm store. There we purchased freshly made apple butter and 3 different kinds of flavoured honey. (Apparently one wouldn’t do!) Terry then told us some more information on apples, and when we were finished, we all thanked him for a wonderful time and started to head home.

While we were in the car, both of my kids told me what a great time they had and how it was the best school trip they had ever been on. My heart was full!

Once we got home they each tried an apple and said it was delicious and the best apple they have ever had and that they were way better than the apples you get at the store. The rest of the apples will be turned into more delicious lessons such as apple pie and applesauce (not bad, if you ask me!).

I highly suggest a trip to an orchard, and it’s kid approved! Happy Harvesting!

Nicole McReynolds is a homeschooling mom who resides in Wellington North, Ontario and lives on a small homestead with her two little boys aged 8 and 6. She is taking a more traditional approach to teaching by incorporating a hands-on and natural way of learning. Nicole is the curator of Backyard Bounties, an online source that connects customers to local farmers/small producers and vice versa. Backyard Bounties is accompanied by Backyard Bounties of Southern Ontario (a Facebook group) and Backyard Bounties Homestead on Instagram and YouTube.