The Gang!

On a beautiful October afternoon, the 29 children of the St. John’s CDC, accompanied by 9 staff members, boarded vehicles of various types and set off for the farmlands of Somerset County. For the next few hours they spent their time at the Wightman Farm in haywagons, pumpkin patches, corn mazes and on bleachers learning about the magic of farming — magic accompanied by a lot of hard work.

A view from one of the hay wagons

You get up at what time?

As the tractor passed by the various types of trees, shrubs and plants along the trail, the drivers made sure to first ask and then tell them what it was they were seeing. Although Boonton is only 20 miles from the farm, it is a very different world. Most of the group, adults included, couldn’t identify the difference between a peach tree and an apple tree nor a broccoli plant and a radish. But one thing everybody recognized was the pumpkins. Not only did they recognize them, but before the day was over, everyone owned one as a gift from the farm. Off the wagons, into the fields they went in search of their own perfect pumpkin.

Enough for everyone.

A survivor from the maze. Having 3 hands helped a lot.

Mission accomplished, it was off to the maze, composed of bales of hay stacked on top of each other with tunnels created in between. A cup of cider and a doughnut greeted everybody on their exit. Picture time and then back in the cars again for a return to St. John’s where by chance, another episode of the Soprano’s was being filmed.

No bit parts were offered. Perhaps we looked a little too much like farmers.