Apple Pickin'

A little rundown of our day in Oak Glen...

The kids had no school on Friday, so I took them up to Oak Glen to do some apple picking.  We finally have had a few cooler days, so my mind turned to autumn-like activities.

I wanted to go visit Oak Glen's old schoolhouse first.  So we drove on up past several apple farms and pulled in the school's drive.  There was a school bus there, but all the kids were outside on the new, "improved," safe playground.  I think my kids really had fun looking around and imagining school 100 years ago.  All grades in the same room.  Reading groups around the potbelly stove.  Inkwells.  Phonograph.  And, the school bell.

The angelic student, the sleepy student and the trouble-maker.

I told my kids the story of when I was young, maybe 8 or 9.  My girl scout troop actually spent the night in the old schoolhouse!  They were intrigued with the thought of that.  And, I had a good time looking around and remembering those good times.  The docent lady was very nice and took us down to the basement where we most likely used the kitchen and other facilities way back when.

Ye Olde Schoolhouse

Then, it was off to Riley's Farm for some apple picking.  However, they were all out.  We were too late.  Their crops were not very good this year.  Most all the farms were done picking.  I know that September is the main apple picking time.  But it's so hard to want to go up there when it's over 100 degrees!  We'll have to remember for next time.

The apple orchard, minus the apples.

So, instead of apples, we picked...raspberries.  It was fun (for the first 5 minutes!)  It gave us all a deeper appreciation for what it takes to get food onto our table.  It took quite a long time to get one little basket.  C and I worked hard.  The boys couldn't stay with it for long and went frolicking through the apple orchard!

It took a long time to find those little berries!

After our work in the fields, we headed on to other farms in search of caramel apples.  You wouldn't think they would be difficult to find in Oak Glen, but they were!  After a couple more stops, we found some.  Also, we ran into a few other families we know during our day up there!  It was a great day.  I always think of Oak Glen as the proof that fall actually comes to Southern California!