So we all love visiting the local apple orchards this time of year. I have visited 3 in the Hendersonville area over the past 12 years, going multiple times to each annually. But today, my homeschool group adventured to a new to us apple farm...Jeter Mountain Farms. Y'ALL. I now feel like I've been to the paradise of all farms. ALL farms. Farms are my happy places and this one took the cake! They have more than just apples, but more on that later! Let me share with you about this truly lovely family ran, family oriented, hospitable, beautiful, and perfect farm.
I contacted the farm to set up a field trip for my homeschool group. I worked with Jocelyn, aka probably the sweetest woman on the planet. You can see the Holy Spirit radiating through her and her smile. The kids all were comfortable with her and that makes a huge difference. Jocelyn helped to coordinate our day and then when we finally got to come to the farm, she made the day such a treat and a great experience for our young learners. The average age of our crew was 4 years old. Jocelyn made sure the kids had plenty of bathroom breaks...and while on the subject of the loo...their bathrooms alone were SO nice, clean, big, beautiful, and made you feel at home. A public bathroom that felt like my own at home? I'll take it! So clean and nice. When the kids were all settled, Jocelyn got us started with a wagon ride attached to a tractor driven by Farmer Mike. Jocelyn and Farmer Mike both were so personable and so great at teaching us adults and the kids! On the wagon ride, we saw the grounds of the farm...SO GORGEOUS! Now, I mentioned they are not just an apple farm. While there are countless beautiful arborous branches of apple trees, they have more! There are a large variety of grapes that you can pick, blueberries, blackberries, why- you can even cut and pick your own Dahlias! They have a pumpkin patch, sunflowers, and even a gorgeous pond. I truly wanted to just lie down in the fields, read my bible and nap in the sun. Amazing. It felt like paradise. Jocelyn talked to the kids about the seasons that the produce grow in, honeybees, oh and there is also a growing maze shaped like an apple that will likely be available for action in 2022! We can't wait to come back for that!
After the wagon ride, the children got to follow Farmer Mike to the apple orchard to learn about different varieties of apples. The farm happens to have 25 varieties and they know so much about each variety such as which are the best for pie and cider. I learned today that it is best to twist the apple off the tree rather than yank or pull. There were several varieties I'd never heard of before today! Each child filled their bag happily and were just so eager to take a bite!
After picking our apples, Farmer Mike lead the children in a lesson in planting seeds! Y'all, this was so perfect. Our forest school curriculum's first lesson is "seeds" and what a perfect way to kick that off! Farmer Mike began by showing the children a mammoth size sunflower head and the seeds within. He had a cup full of readied sunflower seeds and an empty garden bed waiting to be nurtured and fed with these seeds! He showed the kids how to wake and rake the dirt to prepare the soil. Then, he had this nifty tool he had made from small pvc pipes that were a perfect measurement for his garden rows and irrigation system. The holes or openings in the pvc pipes served to create holes in the dirt in perfect measured rows. Then he lovingly helped each eager child to plant their seeds! Then they covered the dirt together, and each kid got the cutest little watering can to help water the garden! Talk about a heart melt! So precious watching those babies learn from a real farmer who was just as gentle and patient with the kids as he surely is with his crops. Then my favorite thing happened....it may seem small...but I'm all about small sentimental touches. Personal touches. Jocelyn took a marker to a stake and wrote "Gladden Homeschool 9/2" and placed it in our sunflower bed. I could go off on quite the rabbit trail about why this was so touching to my heart...but long story short...it was such affirmation from God that I'm in His will and that He is good and He is blessing this homeschool journey He lead me on after I had always scoffed at homeschooling and saying "never!" It was just perfect and I deeply appreciate the little touch that made a really big impact.
After planting the seeds, the kids washed hands then headed to the market to press apples to make apple cider!! SO COOL!!! Ah! I've read in a curious George book about this process, but never have I seen or experienced the actual method in which this has been done for countless years. Have I mentioned how patient each and every member of this Farm was with our children?! Mr. Fred helped in this adventure. He taught the kids with the sweetest smile and humor, patience, and a gentle touch how to take apples slices and turn them into cider. Every kid got a fair turn and they were SO into it! I thought they were gonna turn into cider themselves they were so all up in it! 😂 Then, the kids got to taste cider and see how the apple cider donuts were made! My Ellie personally deeply loved that! The cider was soooo good and cool and fresh! Did you know its made only with apples?! I was shocked. Of course we bought some to bring home, too!
One lunch was finished, the kids got to do yet another super awesome, personal, and sentimental thing...they got to paint their hands and leave a handprint on the hearts of the farm on a board! Our name, "Gladden Homeschool" will be written by their precious hand prints. Jocelyn painted each little hand so sweetly and then sweet Ms. Betsy helped wash off each little hand with wipes. When I say these people care about you and treat you like family, I mean it. I've never experienced such a devoted crew ever.
Then, the children got to play in the most amazing playground which was covered from the sun (and would also be perfect on a rainy day) in a big spacious area with a Chalk house, a massive tractor to climb that was built, tires full of corn and pebbles to dig in, hay bales to climb, tunnels to crawl, and trucks, scoops, and shovels to get creative and busy with. The kids had to peeled away from the wonderland so that we could finish our day with some grape picking and shopping the farm store where ALL us mamas went crazy and the kids did too. We bought donuts, cider, dark chocolate covered almonds, dark chocolate covered espresso beans, pumpkin scone mix, a Christmas ornament, and cute coffee mugs! They even had pumpkins and gourds out in the most beautiful shapes and colors. Ellie and I also bought another bag of apples so she would have some for snacks and some to make a pie!
When it was time to go, we actually all felt more relaxed after our day with these fine people than we had all week. It was so fun for us all, like truly fun. The land that God blessed this family with was so refreshing to the soul, and their gorgeous setup and smiles, friendly conversation, all of it, all of them, lifted our tired mama souls and spirits and sent us home with sweet sleepy babies, and rested souls as mothers. Oh, and happy tummies too! We didn't want to leave.
I'll be bringing my husband back in a couple of weeks to share this experience with him again because I know he will feel the same! I may never visit another apple orchard again because I truly believe we found the friendliest, cleanest, most beautiful, most efficient, most loving farm ever. I do believe they also have a pumpkin picking season that will start soon, and at Christmas, you can get your family Christmas tree! Can I live here?! Literally everything my dreams are made of! Jeter Mountain Farms, Thank you with every fiber of my heart because my heart is full from your Christ like love and hospitality today.
