Center Grove Orchard

We had heard a lot about Center Grove Orchard and decided that we wanted to go this year.

It is near Ames so about an hour and a half drive, but we had a day available, so we went!

Avery wasn't feeling the best with a cold, but despite that, we stayed for 4 hours

and we could have stayed much longer!

The farm spanned 35 acres, 20 of which were the apple orchards.

The weather felt like fall, a little chilly but sunny for the most part

sitting in the old one room school house 

there was a fairy tale area - Goldilocks and the 3 bears

(with two extra visitors :))

humpty dumpty 

Avery really likes baby pigs for some reason 

at the Disovery Barn was a mini version of Little Hands on the Farm

that we like to do at the Iowa State Fair

combine slide 

climbing on BIG hay bales is always fun

 

tractor pulling the wagon ride 

Center Grove Express train ride 

none of us had ever gone to an orchard to actually pick apples

 so this was a new experience for everyone 

Aubrey picking a good one way up high

(we picked Johnathan apples this time)

Avery finding one she liked 

you pay by the bag size - a bushel or a peck and then go off to pick your own 

such a PICTURE PERFECT fall day

we decided to do the KIDDIE maze since our last corn maze

a couple years ago didn't go so great :) 

BUT we followed and trusted dad and we did NOT get lost 

Avery trying to lasso the bull

Aubrey's turn 

jumping pillow 

Avery trying the apple sling shot 

Aubrey doing the apple sling shot 

the big slide - Steve and Aubrey 

Avery 

hay maze 

right before they held hands and jumped - and AVERY didn't make it and 

biffed it in the face - poor girl 

harder than it looks to pedal these big things