05 October 2008

Here Comes Jean-ny Appleseed


Its that time again that happens every year. There is a slight crisp in the air that could only mean fall is here (the crisp is more like a bite here in Canada though...). The leaves are turning colors, people are starting to wear boots, and I'm getting that feeling I get every year...the need to go to Jackson's Orchard and get an apple cider slush. Except there's not a Jackson's Orchard here. So I was very excited when a family from Moncton wanted to take us to an apple harvest farm (same thing as an orchard) to go "apple picking."


This family has been doing activities with the students of the TMBA program for the past few years. I'm not really sure how they got involved with the program though, because they do not work for UdeM. The man, Jean (pronounced like John...hence the title of the blog), is an English teacher at a high school in the area. The lady is a director for a small college (by the way, Canadians don't ever say "college") in the downtown area. They also have a tutoring business that keeps them very busy afterhours. They have an adorable six-year old that would only speak to me in French (so I had to pretend to understand her!). This family has planned about ten activities for us to do throughout the semester--so about once a week. Jean is also teaching us some basic French (which is a HUGE help!).
The orchard was definitely not on the same level as Jackson's--no apple cider slushes, no popcorn, no petting zoo, etc., etc., etc. Well, no petting zoo unless you count the 20 chickens that were just roaming around that you could catch and pick-up (in all their dirty, chicken-poop covered glory). The apples were so cheap here! Probably the only thing in Canada that's cheaper than in America! Fifty cents per pound. I got about 15 apples for $1.90! And I love apples. Hopefully, we can go to this other orchard sometime soon that actually makes their own apple wine. I can't wait to see how cheap that is! It was a nice, fall adventure for us...especially since the Mexicans have never been to an orchard! No public orchards in Mexico...just your own private garden.

No comments: