Field Trip to Moon-Randolph Homestead

I had the opportunity to accompany Lindsay's class on a field trip today. Despite her expression in the picture below, I think she actually liked having me there.

She was dealing w/ some tiredness and allergy stuff and was basically kinda whiney, thus the pout. Anyway, back to the field trip. We went to a cool place called the Moon-Randolph Homestead. It's basically a little piece of history right outside of "town".  It was originally a homestead and working farm/ranch of the Moon and Randolph families, but now it's owned by the city and offers visiting hours and private tours. There are all sorts of original buildings, including the original homestead cabin, and all sorts of equipment, etc. 

It was pretty cool walking around the homestead and learning how life was for the original homesteaders.

I loved all the worn, old wood that the buildings are made of and the weathered metal tools.

There were critters everywhere including bugs (like these yucky red ants), birds, chickens and foxes. We didn't see the foxes but were shown (from a distance) where one of their dens was...up on a rise overlooking the chicken coop!

The kids were pretty interested in most all of it. It probably helped that they had a "scavenger hunt" worksheet they had to find answers to from their teacher.

Back when all parts of the homestead were functioning, there were chickens, cows, an apple orchard, a coal mine, lots of various veggies and a milk shed where they turned milk into butter, cream, etc. I guess they would drive this small cart thing around Missoula and sell these items to families in the neighborhoods. 

It was a beautiful day for walking around and exploring.

Seeing the homestead reminded me of all those "Little House on the Prairie" books I read as a child and how I use to think the life of a pioneer sounded so cool. 

Parts of it still sound cool to me (I'd love to have chickens!) but I'm also extremely grateful to live in this day and age of electricity, running water, etc!

There were all sorts of "treasure" there, it was pretty cool.

And for spending the majority of the day with a bunch of fourth graders, that part went pretty well too. I just love being able to volunteer like that.