On Wednesday, Oct. 4, the three third grade classes from Tryon Elementary School experienced a morning of nature at Pearson’s Falls and Glen. It was a cool, sunny morning and the students were exuberant. They moved through three activities during their field trip.

Mrs. Justice’s class began the morning in the Garden House learning about the history of the cove and falls from Joy Soderquist and Mary Ann Sloan. Then they hiked to the nearby green restroom complete with plants growing on the roof. Gene Justice, a member of the Pearson’s Falls staff, explained to the students how the composting toilet works. Then he asked about the three R words – reduce, reuse and recycle – the students have been studying in the classroom. Then the students hiked the Elizabeth Webster trail with Docent Annie Ewing and focused on the smells of the woods.

Mrs. Godley’s class started the morning at the second station, the picnic shelter, where Head Gatekeeper Andy Ruff talked about the many nuts to be found at Pearson’s Falls. The students had displays of acorns, hickory nuts, buckeyes, gumballs, seed cones from magnolias, pinecones, and black walnuts they could examine. Then Ruff showed the students how to grind the buckeyes into flour like early settlers did. Last, he demonstrated how to open black walnuts and use the hulls for dye for clothing.

The third group, Mrs. Schweitzer’s class, started the day hiking up the glen trail along Colt’s Creek to the 90-foot waterfall. Pearson’s Falls Docents Virginia Meador, Bob Tobey, Linda Eiserloh, Marion Crounse, and Jackie Burke were stationed along the trail and at the falls pointing out interesting things to know about the plants, rocks and water that make up Pearson’s Falls.

Additional Tryon Garden Club members helping during the field trip were Donna Southworth, Heidi Shull, Virginia Sechrest, Martina Huson, Cam Brandon and Kathy Wright.

The Tryon Garden Club owns and operates Pearson’s Falls. It offers free admission and guided walks through the quarter mile trail up to the 90-foot waterfall to school groups. It is open to the public Monday through Sunday 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and there is an admission charge. In the spring there are guided wildflower walks from late February through May. The address is 2748 Pearson’s Falls Road, Saluda. Call the gate at 828-749-3031 or visit pearsonsfalls.org for information.

– submitted by Lucy Brannon