Field Trip Friday: The NC Arboretum

I feel a little odd posting about our recent trip to the NC Arboretum when I have no pictures of plants to share...there was still a lot in bloom and lots of ornamentals, but my favorite parts of this trip were the 2 traveling exhibits that were going on. The Blue Ridge Fiber Show and After the Dinosaurs: The Age of Mammals and Ice.

First we stopped at the Education center where there was a Bonsai Expo was going on and the Blue Ridge Fiber Show upstairs. The kids weren't terribly interested in this- other than their amazement at the cost of some of these pieces. I thought they were beautiful- and can't wait till Spring when we shear the alpacas and I can start to learn how to felt and use fiber myself.

Then we went down to look at the Bonsai. Annika got a little bored, so we left Paul, my mom and the boys inside and went out to explore the gardens and fountains.

The other traveling exhibit is After the Dinosaurs: The Age of Mammals and Ice. Now this was something the kids loved! My boys absolutely love to watch documentaries on this type of thing. They have watched them on all sorts of dinosaurs and prehistoric reptiles and mammals. So seeing the skeletons and such of all of these animals was so much fun for them.

They had replicas of skulls, claws and teeth. They had huge electronic replicas of the animals themselves. It was pretty cool. Lakin was drawn to the Smilodon and other sabertooth cats. They had a huge ground sloth and short-faced bear- both of which they had seen videos on.

They had a little rice-filled pit to uncover bones in. Annika played here most of the time the boys were running around looking at the animals.

They had a couple of animals they didn't know much about- like the dire wolf and giant beaver. I am sure we will be searching for them soon in books and movies.

So that was our trip to the NC Arborteum this week. It's a lovely place with amazing gardens, exhibits and trails. If you want to see some more you can read my post about our previous trip to the Arboretum.

Do you have a field trip to share this week? You can link up any posts about getting out of the house and exploring life and learning first hand. Please link back here to help this blog hop grow!

Field Trip Friday: Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education

I've been sick this week- as in possible pneumonia, hacking dry cough so much that my ribs ache and I can't sleep. So I sort of forgot about my Friday post. We didn't go anywhere this week, but I am sharing our side trip to the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education from the day we went to the Cradle of Forestry.

Behind the center is a trout hatchery, which the kids loved. Annika- and the boys- enjoyed feeding the fish and watching them splash all around.

They also have some trails and exhibits outside and an indoor movie and some aquariums of local wildlife inside.

Annika was pretty tired by the time we got here, so we didn't get to fully experience it, but we do plan to do back. They also offer free classes to kids and adults on topics like fishing and various wildlife.

Do you have a field trip to share this week? Please link up below!

Field Trip Friday: The Cradle of Forestry

 This week I am sharing our trip to the Cradle of Forestry. Although you can walk into the Pisgah National Forest from my back yard, we had to drive almost an hour to get there! If I had some stronger stomachs in the car who could handle very curvy roads, we could have cut the time a bit and driven through the mountains, but it was a nice drive nonetheless.

The Cradle of Forestry is considered the Birthplace of Forest Conservation on America. And it's a place I would definitely recommend visiting. The Discovery Center has a ton of exhibits on forestry, conservation, nature and the forest service. There is a simulated helicopter ride, tunnel and a scavenger hunt for the kids.

Once we thoroughly experienced what the center had to offer on the inside, we headed outside into nature.

 There are a couple trails to take- the Biltmore Campus Trail- which gives a look at life at the first school of Forestry or the Forest Festical Trai- which has many points of interest along they way to learn about logging, conservation efforts and other topics regarding the forest. We chose the Forest Festival Trail, but will definitely be back to take the other one at some point.

The trail was paved and makes about a 1.3 mile loop through the forest with numbered points of interest along the way.

Rylan's enthusiasm for trees tends to rub off on the other boys. And they sprint around the trails looking for signs of trees we've not encountered before- other than in books. There was lots of "Rylan what type of oak is this?" and other such questions.

So we noted the names of the trees and observed the bark and leaves.

And anything growing on that bark or on the forest floor...

There was an old steam powered engine at the sawmill. Where we read about why it was such a dangerous place to work.

And the logging locomotive was a big hit. They could climb up and ring the bell. And see the logging cars and the log loader at the end.

The trial snaked around past an old hatchery, the remains of a homestead, an area of forest dedicated to conifers and their growth needs and ended up back at the discovery center. 

 If you are in the area, or plan on visiting you should stop by, I don't think you would be disappointed. The Cradle of Forestry is easily ascessible from the Blue Ridge Parkway (around mile post #411) or from interstate 1-26 and is located in Brevard, NC.

Field Trip Friday: Carl Sandburg Home

 This past weekend we drove down to Flat Rock to visit the Carl Sandburg Home. It is part of the National Park Service, and the first  park to honor a poet. My main interest was in seeing the goat portion of the farm. Mrs. Sandburg was known for her prize winning goats and raised Nibians, Saanens and Toggenburgs.

The park service still raises goats on the land and they are descendents of the original Sandburg herd.  We got a demonstration on how to judge a goat, the barns were huge and beautiful. We talked with the ranger for awhile and actually ended up putting in a bid for their Nubian herd sire. The auction is on October 2, so we are crossing our fingers that we can get him, since he's top of the line genetically speaking.

We also took a tour of the house. And heard all about the history of the house, land and family. Books were everywhere inside!

This was the view from the front of the house....not a road in sight and absolutely beautiful. I can see how it would be a writer's paradise.

And this was the view from closer to the road looking up at the house. Almost equally as beautiful. 

Now it's your turn! Have you taken any fun and educational field trips lately? Come and share yours and take some time to see how others take learning out of the house! Please link directly to your post and don't forget to link back here so others can find us!

Field Trip Friday: The Mountain State Fair

This week we took a trip over to the Mountain State Fair. We didn't usually go to the fair in TN, and we don't do the rides (or food) but we do enjoy the exhibits and the animals. So we decided to check it out on the day they offered free admission to kids.

They all enjoyed digging up potatoes in this bin of sawdust.  And looking at the animals- chickes, ducks, goats, sheep. We hung around the Moo-ternity tent for awhile waiting to see a calf being born. We left and came back again at the end to a newborn calf already in the hay (this picture is not of the newborn calf....)

 The barns were amazing. Huge, long, with tons of stalls. Annika liked this one in particular. She ignored the real ducks and geese and played and touched the little fake ones and the pumpkins and all the other fall decorations. We had to drag her away. 

Of course we also checked out the Expo Building.....

What about you? Did you take a special field trip this week? Or do you have an old favorite to share? Link up below and tell us about it! Please link back here on your post so this blog hop can grow! The more the merrier!

Field Trip Friday #3

Welcome to Field Trip Friday! Thanks so much for joining me! This blog hop is all about sharing those wonderfully, educational experiences outside the home. From neighborhood walks to big city museums to treks through the forest. Any activity where you are your kids get out and explore with your senses and experience nature, science, history, art, etc first hand.

Last week there were some great posts linked and I encourage you to go and check them out! Here are the top 3 most visited links:

Our Life's Adventures posted about her family's trip to Sherwood Forest and the Robin Hood Festival. I know many kids- including my own who would absolutely LOVE to go here.

Morning Hugs and Goodnight Kisses shared their day at the lake and their wonderful nature finds.

And Home to 4 Kiddos showed some amazing pictures and experiences from the Naval Air Station and some authentic WWII planes. My boys would love to see something like that!

This week I shared our trip to Hendersonville during the North Carolina Apple Festival and the many museums and experiences we had that day. Did you take a special field trip this week? Or do you have an old one to share? You can share your links below!

To help this blog hop grow, please link back to this post so more people can find it and share!

Exploring Hendersonville: Part 2

 Once we left the antique car show on Saturday, we stopped by the Apple Valley Model Railroad Club in the old train station since they were holding an open house as well.

We started by exploring the old caboose before heading inside. The boys got instructed on how to operate a model train by one of the junior engineers.

Then we went into see all the models. I always forget how much my kids love exhibits like these. They spent a really long time in these 2 rooms. Watching the trains and the city replicas. They had a little Thomas the Train model set up in back that the kids could operate. Annika loved that part.

 After I pried them away from the trains we headed to our last stop. The WNC Air Museum. Again it was pretty empty, which means we got a really great tour and history of all the of the planes in the building.

There was a gyroplane that they could sit on. And the kids got instructed on how to get into the planes without breaking the wings and were allowed to sit in this WWI aircraft.

There were lots of models and experimental planes. A few unfinished and never flown planes that the museum is working to restore/complete.

 All day we had been seeing the biplane flying overhead, so we stopped to watch it land and take off before we left.

And that concludes our tour of Hendersonville. Big cities have a lot to offer, but sometimes small towns hold little known treasures that can make for a wonderful day.

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for Field Trip Friday to link up your best field trips, and to read about how others have spent their time outside of the home!

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