One local orchard uses the fruits of its labor to teach children about stewardship.
The Millstone Creek Orchard is located in Ramseur, N.C., about 45 minutes from Elon University. This years marks 10 years in business for owner Beverly Mooney and she hopes to continue to make it an escape for her customers.
"My goal here is to get away from everyday. That's kinda my tagline. I want this to be a place where you step away from the fast pace of the world," Mooney said.
The orchard covers more than 80 acres of land and includes 17 different types of apples. They also offer hayrides, fruit picking and a variety of fresh food products.
Sandra Phillips has been to the orchard three years in a row and hopes her 3 year old son, Liam, will one day realize the greater importance of the orchard.
"He may get this one day but an appreciation for the hard work that goes into the food we put on our table," Phillips said.
The mission of Millstone Creek Orchards is more than just picking apples and having a good time. It's about planting a seed in a child's life to teach them about taking care of the world around them.
"Our orchard fruit friend! The point of that program is to create a stewardship between the children and the land and to learn to take better care of our apple trees and to be a teacher here at the orchard," Mooney said.
Mooney started the Orchard Fruit Friend program in 2013 and already has more than a thousand children participating from all over the state.
"You need to know where apples actually come from because they don't actually start off in stores. They start off from farmers and orchards," said Annaliese Soderberg, a\ Durham, N.C. resident,
The continued curiosity and knowledge children gain from participation is what Mooney said makes the program a success.
"Our biggest accomplishment is seeing them teach others how to take care of the land," Mooney said.
The Millstone Creek Orchard is open now until Dec. 7.
Check out the orchard's website for more information concerning pricing, direction and special events.