Riley's Farm

We visited Riley's Farm in Oak Glen last Thursday for a Colonial Days field trip. The apple country is so beautiful and was spared from the wild fires several weeks ago. The winding road divided the blackened hills and charred trees on the left from the apple orchards, raspberries, and pumpkins of Colonial Chesterfield on the right. We were blessed to experience the bountiful harvest at Riley's Farm and enjoy the rich smell of apple pies baking in the kitchen, a tradition of ours for four years now.
The children were given candles to dip in hot wax and then into cool water to learn the art of candle making.

Each of the children were allowed to drop an apple in the cider press and observe the process of making apple cider.

Other colonial activities the children experienced were writing with quill and ink, weaving, butter making, etiquette, games, and eating a caramel apple!

Then we were given word of a place down the road that makes apple cider donuts. We enjoyed our hot treat under this chestnut tree with our friends. It is said that this chestnut tree is the oldest of chestnuts in California at 109 years old.

Each little spike protecting the chestnut is like a needle. I tried to carefully handle it and I was not able to without getting poked. Isn't it beautiful?