This year, we welcomed 562 children (across both the previous and current school years, as well as during the holidays) accompanied by their teachers (or other chaperones) who visited the fruit drying house or participated in another program offered by our association. Several of our members assisted by providing guided tours and refreshments.

On April 13 and 14, the drying facility was visited by 109 pupils from Vič Elementary School and 49 pupils from Vita Kraigher Elementary School (Ljubljana), who also listened to an explanation about fruit drying. On June 15, 90 pupils from Rihard Jakopič Elementary School (Ljubljana) visited, followed by 45 pupils from Vida Pregarc Elementary School (Ljubljana) on September 10. Naturally, they also enjoyed tasting the dried fruit.

Similar visits took place on July 13 (17 pupils) and August 10 (22 pupils), when we hosted pupils from Velike Lašče Elementary School as part of their holiday care program. On October 1, we organized a tour of the drying facility and the *kozolec* (hayrack) exhibition for 72 pupils from Valentin Vodnik Elementary School. They also listened with great interest to an explanation regarding the historical uses of various pieces of old rural equipment. They even had the chance to try operating a *stopa* - a traditional mortar used for husking millet. A similar program, which included a snack, was organized on September 9 for 38 pupils from Horjul Elementary School.

The most extensive program - a "natural sciences day" - was attended by pupils from Videm-Dobrepolje Elementary School on September 28 (33 pupils), the Kurešček Free School on October 5 (37 pupils), and Velike Lašče Elementary School on October 6 (50 pupils). In addition to a tour and explanations provided in the fruit drying house and under the *kozolec* (hayrack) among the old tools, the children also explored the *črna kuhinja* (traditional open-hearth kitchen). They tried their hand at slicing fruit and picking apples from the tree using a fruit-picking pole. They learned about the various methods used to preserve fruits and vegetables for the winter. They also tried their hand at grating cabbage and turnips and quite a bit of these vegetables (along with the fruit) ended up in their own tummies!

For those groups whose program included a snack, we served homemade bread with butter, honey, and homemade jam and apple strudel or a "Trubar`s snack" (millet porridge with dried plums, served with *krhljevka* - a traditional dried-fruit compote). Since children are least happy when they have to simply sit and listen, they naturally enjoyed themselves the most when they could actively participate in the various tasks. The boys were especially proud of managing to push the heavy wooden wooden racks for drying fruit into the drying oven (see photo!).

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