Industrial Arts - Woodworking & Factory Tour

 If you visit the Netherlands, you will see a lot of wooden shoe gifts to purchase.  The citizens wore wooden shoes for centuries.  Wooden shoes had many advantages for gardening and outdoor wear - less expensive than leather at the time, insulated to keep feet cool in summer and warm and winter, protective if tool dropped, and water resistant.  When we visited Michigan with young kids, we visited a wooden shoe factory and watched the woodworking.  A later trip took us to another woodworking factory tour.

The largest wooden bowl factory actually resides in the United States, not the Netherlands.  I recommend you visit the Holland Bowl Mill in Holland, Michigan.  It first began as the Wooden Shoe Factory by Chester.  HBM began in 1984 and now led by Chester's great grandson.  It's now the largest commercial wooden bowl manufacturer in the country and you can take a tour.  We began by watching the Discover and Science Channels 'How It's Made" 2007 episode for background.  In the factory, we saw all the steps from cutting the fresh log wood to bowl blanks to bowl turning to smoothing.  Factory employees answered questions and we marveled at how one log could turn into multiple nested bowls.  It looked like a process minimizing waste.  Later research confirmed their zero waste philosophy.  The company demands select cutting, choosing larger trees (min. 16" diameter) to leave smaller trees to grow.  Hardwoods including cherry, walnut, beech, maple, and red oak grow and harvest from Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.  Leftover wood from bowls turn into other wood products such as cutting boards and utensils.  Shavings have a use as horse bedding.

After the tour, you can browse the company store.  While some discounts exist, don't expect cheap products.  These bowls are handmade with no seams or glue and protected with a mineral and bees oil preserver.  You can take care of your bowl with coconut oil.  Don't place your bowl in the dishwasher.  With so many unique bowls with different colors and grain patterns, it took time to choose just one.  They serve as heirloom gifts.  At no extra cost, I had a bowl engraved as a gift to my husband with our wedding date.  Holland Bowl Mill provides a lifetime guarantee for their products.

Business Lesson #1: Jelly Belly WI tour and 10 other Candy Factory Tours

What kid doesn't love candy?  Show him or her how it is made by taking a factory tour.  The Jelly Belly company offers tours at two locations - Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin and Fairfield, California.  I've taken my kids to both locations.  I usually highly recommend factory tours.  In this case, I'd like to give warning that the Wisconsin location is mostly a trolly tour around a warehouse.  You don't see major production lines.  The trolley stops at stations with video screens explaining the process of making taffy, gummies and the famous jelly beans.  The most action we saw was a small area of employees assembling shipments for online sales.

At the time, the tour ended at the shop which made it worth the visit.  However, please check their website for status of the shop.  Laura Sutherland, author of Amazing Places to Take Your Kids, also highlights the store as most exciting, "The Jelly Belly tasting bar is definitely the highlight of this sweet-smelling, family-oriented factory tour, which offers visitors samples of many of the 100 candies the Pleasant Prairie Wisconsin, company makes, including a wide variety of Jelly Bellies."  The tasting does give you an opportunity to try new flavors you might not normally gravitate towards.  I think they know their pre-teen and teen audience think the bad smelling flavors (rotten egg, dirt, earthworm, stinky socks, lawn clippings, moldy cheese) or mystery flavors are hilarious.  I'll stick to the fruit flavors like pear, coconut, cherry, and pineapple and sometimes search for buttered popcorn.  Another bonus in-store was the discounted bags of Belly Flops.  The misshapen jelly beans tasted just as good to me.

I've also visited The Hershey Company, Jelly Belly Candy Company in California, and Long Grove Confectionery Co.  These companies made the Fodor's Travel Top 10 Candy Tours list.  The article by Kristine Hansen gives you more tours to consider:
1.  Jelly Belly Candy Company:  Fairfield, CA, self-guided free tours
2.  The Hershey Company:  Hershey, Pennsylvania, free tours
3.  Long Grove Confectionery Co.:  Long Grove, IL, tour by appointment
4.  Hammond's Candies:  Denver, Colorado, free tour
5.  Pez Candy:  Orange, Connecticut, $5 self-guided tour
6.  Raaka Chocolate:  Brooklyn, NY, book a tasting tour or chocolate-making class
7.  Theo Chocolate:  Seattle, Washington, weekday tours
8.  Kimmie Candy (Sunbursts):  Reno, NY, weekday tours by appointment
9.  Sweet Candy Company:  Salt Lake City, Utah, free weekday tours
10.  Spangler (Dum Dum, Smarties):  Bryan, Ohio, trolley tour

World of Difference #1: Feed My Starving Children Volunteer Opportunity

Looking for a way to teach your child about hunger and take action at the same time?  Look for volunteer opportunities at a Food Bank, mobile food program, or a local program such as Feed My Starving Children.

According to the Food Aid Foundation, poor nutrition causes 45% of deaths in children under five years old.
- 795 million people or one in nine people do not have enough food for a healthy life
- 12.9% of the developing countries population is undernourished
- Asia has the most hungry people
- Sub-Sahara Africa has the highest prevalence (percentage of population); 25% is undernourished.

Sign-up online to reserve a volunteer spot.  You can go as an individual volunteer or organize a group.  Our kids have volunteered multiple times through Scouting and school events.  After you sign-in at a Feed My Starving Children location, the organization shares statistics and stories with all the volunteers.

The organization also talks about the nutrition.  Feed My Starving Children collaborated with Cargill food scientists and General Mills and Pillsbury employees to create the vitamin and mineral fortified rice meal name Manna Pack.  Depending upon your shift, you will make one of three Manna Packs: 1) Manna Pack Rice, 2) Manna Pack Potato-D, or 3) Manna Pack Potato-W.  Manna Pack Potato-D uses fortified potato and soy meal for rehydration, helping those who suffer from diarrhea.

You don't need to travel outside the United States to help the hungry around the world.  Feed My Starving Children ships food to 70 countries and focuses on delivering to the developing countries.

After the introductions, the leader asks for volunteers to help in the warehouse and providing supplies to stations.  Everyone suits up in a hair net and washes hands.  Volunteers split up into "cells" surrounding two funnels.  Two or three people scoop the ingredients.  Two volunteers place bags under funnels.  Two volunteers weigh the package.  A volunteer seals the bag.  When enough packages are filled to fill a box, the entire cell gets to shout out a celebratory cheer, signaling a warehouse volunteer to pick up the box.  The entire process feels simple and seamless.  It's so well organized that the organization allows volunteers as young as five years old.

Volunteers switch positions.  Volunteers can get competitive with other groups on how many boxes they've packed.  Music pumps over the speaker.  A two hour shift ends before you'd guess.  Everyone helps in the clean up which includes putting supplies away and sweeping.  Feed My Starving Children began by Richard Prodfit after his mission trip in Honduras.  The session ends with a prayer over the food.  You don't need to be religious to volunteer.  You don't need to join the prayer session.

After the prayer, the leader reveals the number of boxes the group packed.  Before and after testimonials of how the food has helped a child transition from undernourished and underweight to thriving is shared with before and after photos.  Volunteers can help further by making purchases at their shop.  In 2018, 1.2 million volunteers packed 333 million meals.

Locations:  Aurora, IL, Libertyville, IL, Schaumburg, IL, Chanhassen, MN, Coon Rapids, MN, Eagan, MN, Mesa, AZ, Richardson, TX,

NPS #4: Grand Canyon National Park Mule Rides or 4 Mule Days

Mules at Grand Canyon National Park  Photo by Krenda Frushour

Mules have played a part in American history through agriculture, war, pulling canal boats along the Erie Canal, and hauling goods along the trail rides west.  Famous leaders appreciated mules from George Washington the mule breeder to President Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir riding mules in now Yosemite National Park.  If you have older kids age seven or above, your kids can ride mules in national parks.

Mules have characteristics that make them right for the job of carrying people near a canyon rim.  As an offspring of a donkey and horse, many consider mules as hardy and long-lived, less likely to spook, slower, more patient, and having higher endurance than horses.    

Grand Canyon Bright Angel Lodge

Shuttle to Mule Rides

We took a mule ride along the Grand Canyon south rim.  Reserve early because the park limits the number of riders per day.  The Grand Canyon is a popular National Park.  National Geographic's book 100 Places That Can Change Your Child's Life lists the Grand Canyon as a must see site, "The iconic Grand Canyon experience is the overnight mule ride down to the Colorado River; riders must be at least four feet seven inches tall and weight less than 200 pounds.  The ride can be physically taxing, especially in the heat of summer."
We had my younger, shorter nephew and took a less taxing ride under two hours.  It began our adventure by checking in at the Bright Angel Lodge's transportation desk.  The employees checked whether we met the requirements (above age seven years old, below two hundred pounds).  A shuttle bus took us to the mules and wrangler.  Park employees helped visitors get into the saddle and they assured us of the positive mule traits such as sure-footed and motivated by self preservation.  Our mules took us up and down the trails, through the forest, and giving us unique views of the canyon.  I'd suggest wearing jeans, sunglasses, hats, and bandanas.  The sun shines down and the dust kicks up.    

Grand Canyon guide, photo by Krenda

National parks seem like the perfect place for a mule ride.  It combines the natural beauty of the park and guides to tell you more about the park.  The Grand Canyon offers rides at both the north and south rim.  Here's three other national parks offering mule rides:

1.  Yosemite National Park by Big Trees Stables, 2 hour horse or mule ride, views of Big Trees Lodge, the Wawona Meadow Loop, a former encampment, and Wawona Dome.  $65/rider.

2.  Bryce Canyon National Park - Bryce Canyon Lodge, leaving from Sunrise Point for views of Wall of Windows, The Chessman, and Bristle Cone Pine Trees; 2 hour tour to canyon floor $65 or 3 hour Peek-A-Boo loop trail $90

3.  Zion National Park by Canyon Trail Rides - offered March to Oct., one hour trip Virgin River Ride $45/person includes view of Three Patriarchs, The Beehives, and cactus gardens or 3 hour tour along Sand Bench Trail $90 offering views of the park's southern end

 If you want to spend less than $65/person, find other ways to get your kids close to mules.  Look for a Mule Days festival.  Here's four annual Mule Day festivals:

1. Mule Days Bishop (Bishop, CA, Memorial weekend, Sat. show $15 adult and $10 child): attracts over 300,000 fans, 700 mules, and 14 shows within six days, boasts the "World's Longest Non-Motorized parade", watch hitch classes, timed cones, donkey driving timed, team roping, Sat. night dance $10, BBQ dinner $25 adult and $10 child
 

View from mule, Grand Canyon NP, photo by Krenda

2. Mule Days Columbia (Columbia, TN, April, Fri. & Sat., $10 and free for kids under 12)- celebrate the "mule capital" of the world, even began in 1840 and now over 200,000 people attend; lumberjack competitions, clogging, log pulling competition, bluegrass music, gospel singing, worship service, chili supper, dance, Mule Day Queen competition; entertainment includes a mule pull contest requiring a pair of mules to pull a sled loaded with cinder blocks ten feet

3.  Benson Mule Days (Benson, NC, Benson Singing Grove downtown, 4th Sat. of Sept.), attracts 40-50 thousand people, rodeo $15, American Legion dance $9, mule pulling contest, camping, sidewalk chalk art, bluegrass, karaoke, 
 
4.  Harrison Mule Days (Woodbine, MD, Carroll County Equestrian Center), primitive camping $20, mule jump, hay ride, baby bottle race, night coon hunt, cornhole tournament, animal dress-up competition, cowboy church, and auction

State Park #4: Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, Fort Lauderdale - kayak & water sports

One of my favorite classes in high school was water sports.  It's difficult to decide which offered more fun - scuba diving in the deep end of our high school pool or learning the eskimo roll and doing it over and over in my kayak.

People began using kayaks, otherwise known as "man's boat" or "hunter's boat", approximately 4,000 years ago.  If you want to tie in a geography/history lesson combination, look for the locations of the people who first developed and used the kayaks:  Inuit (Greenland, Canada, Alaska) and Aluet (Russia, Alaska).

While most people today don't use a kayak to hunt seals and whales, kayaking provides great exercise, especially building arm muscle.  Plus, kayaking on lakes, rivers, and along ocean shores provides an opportunity to experience nature from a different viewpoint.

How might you inspire a paddling interest?  Perhaps watching a film or paddling festival.

Film festivals:  1) Reel Paddling Film Festival (Portland, ME, Hadley, MA, Alexandria, VA, Lake Placid, NY and more cities)
2) National Paddling Film Festival (Frankfort, KY) $25 ticket and silent auction

I've enjoyed watching the paddling competition at the Teva Mountain Games in Vail, Colorado.  Here's 3 other festivals:
1.  Gauley Fest (Summersville, WV), proceeds support American Whitewater's river conservation
music acts, first come first serve camping; 3rd Sat. in Sept., $20-40 tickets
2.  Reno River Festival (Reno, NV, Wingfield Park Whitewater Park), 35,000 visitors; USA freestyle National Championship, kayak and fishing clinics, yoga, bike ride and costume contest, music; May
3.  Upper Klamath Festival (Klamath, OR) $30 participant fee includes shuttle, free camping; 2nd weekend in April

Renting a kayak at a state park gives you an opportunity to try the adventure.  My husband took these photos at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park in Fort Lauderdale, FL.  By kayaking, my son and I entered shallow areas that big boats couldn't access and we got close to birds.

National forests provide wonderful waterways for kayaking and canoeing.  Check out nationalforest.org for a full list including these 3 forests with varied views:
1.  Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (Superior National Forest, MN) 1,200 miles of routes
2.  Indian River Canoe Trail (Hiawatha National Forest, MI) canyon like banks
3.  Clearwater Canoe Trail (Lolo National Forest, Montana), mountain views

If you get more serious and want to learn whitewater kayaking, Nantahala Outdoor Center paddling school has classes ($130-$150/day; Bryson City, NC).  It's less than 2 hours from the popular Smoky Mountain vacation rentals, including our luxury cabin rentals Lightning Bug Lodge (Sevierville, TN) www.lightningbuglodge.blogspot.com and Indigo Moon Lodge (Pigeon Forge, TN) www.indigomoonlodge.blogspot.com.

Animal Lesson #6: Jack Hanna Inspires

I remember watching the Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom on a very small tv set at my grandparents house and imagining all the adventures.  Those shows ran from 1963 to 1988.  Now kids watch Jack Hanna and the Kratt Brothers on PBS public tv for animal adventure and conservation stories (we also saw Kratt Brothers, blog story coming soon). 

"Jungle Jack" began his tv appearances much earlier as a frequent guest on the Late Night Show with host David Letterman.  Now Jack Hanna stars in numerous shows including Into the Wild, Animal Adventures, and Jack Hanna's Wild Countdown.


If your kids have special interest in a celebrity, look up whether they tour.  In this case, Jack Hanna travels around the nation giving a live animal show.  He brings a variety of animals including a cheetah, sloth, koala, and echidna.

We saw the show in Kentucky.  Jack had just arrived back to the United States from Africa and still gave a high energy show.  Jack has a home in Africa and has special interest in conserving gorillas in Africa.  He supports Partners in Conservation (PIC) which benefits mountain gorillas of Rwanda.

If Jack Hanna doesn't travel to your community, consider a trip to a zoo or conservation site to celebrate animal conservation.  In direct connection to Jack, visit the Columbus Zoo where Jack held the Director position.

What:  Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Where:  Columbus, Ohio
 Cost:  $14.99 child (age 3-9), $19.99 adult, $10 parking
 Check out times for "Animals on Safari Show"

The Wilds conservation park, also located in Ohio and connected to Jack provides kids the opportunity to learn animal conservation.  Jack filmed a show at this location.  We also took the kids to The Wilds, check out my blog story. 
Consider learning about other animal lovers.  Jack connected to Betty White, known for her love for dogs, "In 2014 one of my dreams came true when Betty White graciously joined me for the opening of Heart of Africa..." Jack Hanna, Jack Hanna website.  I've also met Betty White.  Blog story coming soon...