VINCENT-Sue McKnight's preschool students were very excited about their visit to Sweetapple Farm in Vincent Wednesday.
"Our theme for last week and this week is about farms and farmers and animals," said McKnight, teacher and preschool coordinator at Betsey's Learning Tree Preschool in Marietta.
"For a lot (of preschoolers) it's their first contact with seeing real farm animals and seeing what a farm is like," McKnight added.
Article Photos
SHARON BOPP The Marietta Times
Colton Harris, 18 months, of Marietta points to a scarecrow at Sweetapple Farm in Vincent Wednesday.
Avery Herb, 4, of Marietta was visiting Sweetapple Farm for the first time.
"I liked milking the cows and the scarecrows in the (corn) maze," Avery said.
Cows were also a favorite of two of Avery's classmates.
Fact Box
If you go
What: Sweetapple Farm.
Where: 149 Sweetapple Road, Vincent.
When: Open until Nov. 4; 6 to 10 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays; and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays.
Some activities: "Spooky hayrides" Oct. 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 and 27 starting at 7 p.m. for $4 a person; "Flashlight maze" every Friday and Saturday in October until 10 p.m. for $4 a person.
For information: 678-7447.
"I liked the tractor and the cows," said Lakyn Mitchell, 4, of Marietta.
Riley Dunbarger, 4, of Lower Salem has a grandfather who lives on a farm in Ohio. "I like the cows because they're funny when they're eating," said Riley.
Funny cows, big bales of hay, blowing leaves and more greeted visitors at Sweetapple Farm Wednesday.
Low tables full of all kinds of pumpkins, a smoky fire, cider and hot chocolate topped with bobbing marshmallows all added to the farm's welcoming atmosphere.
Mona Barrett, owner and manager of Sweetapple Farm, is in her element when fall is in the air and children and their parents are checking out the family farm.
"The most fun thing (about Sweetapple) is the children-seeing their faces and leading them in songs about the farm," Barrett said.
Shelly Stollar, the farm's event coordinator, said she enjoys the school tours the most.
"They see the animals, feed the cows and go on the hayride," said Stollar.
With the motto "relax...remember...smile," Sweetapple Farm offers plenty of family-oriented ways to do just all three-hayrides, a corn maze, scarecrow making, school tours, farm animals and family fun.
"(Visitors) love it because it's like farming in years past. This looks just like grandma and grandpa's farm," said Barrett.
New to Sweetapple Farm this year are the Country View Room and Tool Shed, that can be rented for occasions like birthday parties, class reunions, picnics and family reunions. The Tool Shed has a private fire pit.
The four-bedroom 1850s farmhouse on the property is now also available for rental and can hold up to seven people. Call 678-7447 for more information.
An annual favorite at Sweetapple Farm is the corn maze. This year's theme is "Little Miss Muffet!"
Chloe, Sweetapple Farm's beloved farm dog who passed away recently, has been recreated in the maze that shows her barking at a spider in his web and scaring it away from Miss Muffet.
Three men, including Barrett's sons, Eric and J.J., worked 16 hours a day for three-and-a-half days in August to complete the maze.
"It was so hot. They had to take breaks," said Barrett.
