Farm Family Fun

Farm Family Fun

Have you ever sat around the breakfast table and asked your child the following questions?

“Where does milk come from?” “Where do eggs come from?”

Your child looks at you with an amused expression as he/she answers. “From the store, Mommy!”   

      Of course! With our current grocery stores full of vegetables, fruit, eggs and milk a person may never realize how much of our goods actually come from farms.

Farms are a great opportunity for children to learn about life and where many of our everyday products come from. Dairy farms, general family farms, chicken farms and produce farms may allow visitors to come and see firsthand exactly where different products come from. With spring time on the way, bundle up your preschooler and head off on an adventure to explore the world.

Having my own farm, I have loved watching children’s eyes widen when they realize that milk comes from a goat, or a cow. Seeing the look of accomplishment when they successfully squirt milk into a pail always puts a smile on my face. Bottle feeding kid goats usually makes the children giggle with delight and creates a friend that will enjoy hopping after them through the fields. Petting or brushing horses is fun and the horses love it. When a child realizes that they are actually being a help to the animals they receive a sense of self-esteem and pride.

Milking cows or goats, making cheese or ice cream from pasteurized milk, or picking an apple off of a tree, washing it then taking a delicious bite of the fresh fruit brings in instant pleasure never to be compared with. Treasure hunting for eggs in the chicken house or learning how to spin wool, riding a horse, seeing a newborn lamb, planting seeds in soil or harvesting produce; each task adds an enjoyable learning experience.

Washing thoroughly after spending time with animals and before a eating anything is vital to remaining healthy.

Local farmers are often open to visits, check your local phone book or Farmers Market and see.

Some possible farm sites. Maplebrook Farms- Gig Harbor             http://maplebrookfarm.wordpress.com/

Christipaul Farms

https://www.facebook.com/ChristipaulFarm

Hy-Grass Farms

http://www.hygrassfarms.com

http://www.chop.edu/about/volunteer-opportunities/volunteer-opportunities-applications/pet-therapy.html

http://www.sheknows.com/pets-and-animals/articles/2212/kids-and-pets