Field trip number 12

Well, we seem to be doing a fair bit of galavanting lately.  Our latest field trip was about four rolled into one.  On Tuesday we decided to visit several businesses/factories in the local area.

First we visited the local classical music radio station, WSMC.

A very kind Emily took us on a full tour of the place, including passing through the main studio where Jason Dedeker was busy keeping things moving on air.  The girls were fascinated, especially C, who listens to 90.5 every evening to help her get to sleep!

Then we were off to the College Press. 

Again, another WONDERFUL and detail filled tour given by one of the sales managers, Louis Licht.  We went all the way from the computer type-setting room to the stapling and folding at the end.  The laser machines,the mail room, the presses with thick gooey, paint-like ink, and the folders and cutters were all very interesting.  At one of the cutting machines, we were given some lovely white card-stock that was heading for scrap.

After that it was a stop at the local tracker organ workshop.

Another fascinating tour of the shop and all it's intricate and hand-made parts, given by Patrick (who is originally from France).  The metal pipe maker is from England.

The pipes behind Patrick are for the "new" organ

He showed us the organ they're busy with now - one for a church in London where Handel used to play.  They're refurbishing it -  basically re-building all the innards completely, even the pipes.  He gave us a good explanation of how a tracker organ works, including showing us the voicing "organ" where they voice the pipes at the end.  Here we had an organ in miniature and could see the mechanical action beautifully.  The company is Richard and Fowkes, by the way - world renowned - and local for us!

Our last stop was a treat.  A real treat, that is.  We drove down towards town for a donut with our sack lunches at Krispy Kreme.  There we could look through the windows, watch the "line" and see how the donuts are made.  We all had one each.

At noon, we raced back to be in time for orchestra rehearsal and made it with minutes to spare!