Adventure on the Nature Trail for First Graders

For the second year (therefore, a tradition),

I joined the 1st graders of Farm Life School

for their end-of-year day of adventure.

It began in the cafetorium with a neat rock

 and mineral presentation by Jims and Gems.

Immediately afterward, we took to the 

nature trail.  Each of the four classes got

their own private tour.

Underneath Old Man Poplar.  Still standing!

Smiling faces tell it all.
 Hard to beat an outdoor classroom.

Sharp-eyed Mrs. Cameron finally spotted what she
had been looking for.  Everyone else had been looking
for snakes on the ground.  She was watching the trees.
Can you spot our arboreal friend? 

How about now?
Isn't it a beauty?

Its sleek, glossy appearance is a clue
that it had recently shed its skin.

Here, the students gather for a view of Big Rock,
on the far side of the stream.

We're at the halfway point of our hike.  We've seen
Old Man Poplar, the Slingshot Tree, Jack-Will-and-Tom,
the stream,Big Rock, and The Wishing Well.
Let's go check on that snake again.

He had descended a little further down the tree, but
still was too high up for me to attempt a capture.
Which was just as well, for we lacked the time for
a full-fledged snake show.

Smile for the camera!

After I pointed out the danger of invasive
kudzu, which can grow a foot a day and
threatens to overwhelm some of our native
plants, I enlisted the help of the students
to try to "straighten" Old Man Poplar.

They put a lot of muscle into the task, but the
results were inconclusive.  Some day, Old Man Poplar
will call 911: "I've fallen and I can't get up!"

Well, guys, you've been attentive and respectful.
You've learned a lot about your nature trail.  I think
you deserve a sourwood snack.
 A WHAT?

That's right!  Sourwood leaves, when chewed, relieve
your thirst with their sour but tasty juice.  Just like
Daniel Boone and other pioneers.

These students are the future of the nature trail.
Their enthusiasm ensures it will be much visited in
the years ahead.  The trail already spans multiple
generations-- one of our first grade moms is a
former student of mine and walked the trail in 1983.
That was two years before I wrote my first grant for
improving the trail, receiving $250 from Moore County's
Public Education Foundation.  It was their first grant, and
was often cited by their officers as a model for future awards.
Recent improvements have made the trail more
welcoming and user-friendly than ever.

Have YOU visited your trail lately?
It's ready and waiting-- snakes and all!