Another Justin Story

It’s no secret that I love my son. He has always been a good person; bright and funny, and I love to tell stories of his growing up. Sorry Justin…this one had to be told.

Justin was 5 and in Montessori kindergarten. The class planned a field trip to Upland Hills Farms; a teaching farm for children that also had orchards and a cider mill. Justin had spent plenty of time on farms before when visiting family in Ontario so I thought this trip would be fun for him.

I picked him up after school. I asked, “How was the trip today?”

“Oh, it was okay I guess.” He said with a slight frown.

“Just okay? What did you do?”

“Well, first we picked some apples and then we took them to the apple torture place.”

“Apple torture place?”

“Yah, you know, where they smash them into juice!”

“The cider mill?”

“Yah, that’s it.”

"What else did you do?”

“I got to feed a baby pig with a baby bottle. That was kinda neat. Then we combed a baby sheep and they showed us how they make string from the hair. That’s where sweaters come from you know.”

“That sounds pretty neat.”

“We just combed that sheep, but really they shave them bald to make the string for sweaters. I bet those sheep get cold after they shave them. Do you think they let the sheep wear the sweaters after they shave them?”

“Good question! What else did you do?”

“Well, then we went to see the cows. They showed us how to milk cows, and made us take turns.” Justin winced a little.

“It sounds like you didn’t care for that part. You’ve been around cows before when they were being milked.”

“Well yah, but they used machines to milk them. I didn’t really like having to do it with my hands.”

“Why not?”

“Well ya know, you have to hold their penis…and why do they have 4?”

“Uh, hmmm…what would you like for supper tonight kiddo?”

A long discussion occurred later that evening with books and pictures and it all worked out fine. Justin still likes milk to this day, but I’m sure he won’t be milking anymore cows.