This week, the preschool class from Nittany Christian School is learning about the letter "F."

So, yesterday, the class took a field trip to Harner Farm, 2191 W. Whitehall -- a few miles away from downtown State College.

"F is for farm week," Kris Karr, preschool teacher says. "We do letters every week."

For the class' farm adventure, the tour guide is Chris Harner, who has been working at his family farm full-time ever since he graduated from Penn State in 1994. His days begin around 8 in the morning and end at dusk.

Harner heads outside to the group of about 15 preschool children and a handful of chaperones.

After everyone is settle in the wagons filled with hay, Harner secures the sides and reminds the eager group of a few rules.

"No standing. No jumping," he says.

The group settles in on their haystack seats, bundled up in their bright jackets, sitting close to one another.

Although it the first field trip of the year, it's not the first hayride for many of the students, Karr explains. Last year, the class went on a hayride at another farm.

"They're experienced hay riders," she says.

As Harner steers the hayride around the corners along the corn stalks, children take in the trail around them.

"Apples! Pumpkins!" they call out.

After a few more twists and turns, Harner parks the tractor at an open spot with pumpkins in between cornstalks.

"Here we are at the pumpkin patch," he says, moving toward the side of the wagon to help everyone out.

The children set out to find their pumpkins. Some find theirs faster then others, bringing orange balls back to Karr to initial with their names.

"Did you find a good one?" Harner asks a little boy looking around at the pumpkins.

When chaperone Mel Westerman, Pine Grove Mills, finds out that adults -- not just the kids -- can find a pumpkin, he calls out to his grandson Isaac Byler, 4, for some assistance.

"Hey, Isaac, can you find me a pumpkin?" he says.

After everyone finds a pumpkin, the chaperones direct the children to gather around "Mr. Chris" to hear about their next quest -- picking apples.

"Anybody here pick apples before?" Harner asks.

A ripple of yes's erupts from the small group.

But Harner gives the children some rules.

"Don't pick up anything from the ground and if you drop it, pick another," he advises.

The kids set off to the apple trees to find their apples.

"What's next?" a little voice pipes out from the crowd.

The class hops back on the hayride and Harner steers the tractor back toward the farm stand.

The group lets out a "Whooa" when the tractor moves over a bump and then more murmurs when they pass goats and chickens at the side of the trail.

At the end of the hayride, Harner lets the group out to explore the corn maze and he starts to head back to the farm stand, but his day isn't over.

"Oh boy, I have a list a mile long," Harner says about the rest of things he has to do for the day, including moving pumpkins and moving apple pickers from the fields.

But Harner says he enjoys taking children around his family farm.

"It's fun to have the kids out," Harner says. "Not that many kids get out on the farm anymore."