FIELD TRIPS ON THE FARM WINTER SPRING SUMMER FALL

WelcometoCountrysideFarmswheresharingthefarmexperiencewithchildrenisourspecialty!Wearepleasedtoofferourfieldtripstationselections,onceagain.Thesestationsemphasizeagricultureeducation(howisourfoodgrown,wheredoesitcomefrom),highlightingplantandearthscience.Wefeatureaseriesofhands-onactivitiesthatinvolvesixstations,rotatingevery20minutes.Becauseoftimeconstraints,theteacherorthefieldtripplannerwillneedtochoose4outofthe6stations.Belowarethevariousstations.

1HAYRIDE/WALNUTS:(yearround)weareinthewalnutorchardforthisstation.Dependingonwhattimeofyearitis,itbecomesaguessinggame.Aretheyapples,nothey’rekiwisormaybetheyarewalnuts!Onceithasbeendecidedtheyarewalnutstheteachingbegins.Everyonewillbesurprisedathowwalnutsbecomewalnuts.Thewayweharvestedwalnutsintheolddaysisdemonstratedalongwiththemodernway.Someoftherealmachinesusedinharvestingareondisplay.Thechildrenwillhavetheopportunitytoplayactthemachinesactions.Thisisahiteverytime!!

2FARMYARD/PLAYAREA:(yearround)Childrenwillvisitourverytamechickens,ourpotbellypig,Oreo,ourtworabbits,FrecklesandFronze,ourpygmygoats,JillianandhercousinJackson.TheCritterCorraliswheretheyallreside.JillianandJacksonlovetobebrushedandheld.Withtheirleadropes,youmaytakethemforawalkaroundtheplayyard.WhileintheCritterCorral,you’llnoticethechickencoop.YesyoucangoinandmeetPeony,Pansy,Petunia,PoppyandPosey.Thegrandchildrenhadtogivethemallnames.Childrencantakeapeekinsidethechickenhousetoseeiftherereallyareeggsonthenest.Sometimesthey’llfindoneofourgirlssittingonhernest!AsforOreo,wellhejustamblesalongsniffingforfood,butsureappreciatesakindbrushing.FrecklesandFronzeliveintheirownprivaterabbithutches.Theirdoorsareeasilyopened(notheydonottrytorunout)andyoucanreachinforapet.

Theplayyardiswherethe“Fort”is,theclimbon,realtractors,thesandbox,jumpinside,ballboxesandswings.TakeacrawlthroughorhideoutintheTeePeeTunnel,it’scompletelycoveredwithhoneysucklevines!Inthefalltherearehaystacksandasimplechildsizecornmaze.

3PLANTING/SOILSSTATION:(yearround)whatdoplantsneedtogrow?Whichseasondoyouplantwhatin?Aretheredifferenttypesofsoil?Whatdoesidealsoilconsistof?Whataboutworms??There’salotoftouchandfeelthathappensinthisstation.Children,alsoparticipatebyplantingtheirownseedsintheirtake-homecontainers.Inthespringweplantwatermelonseeds,inthesummeritspumpkinorflowerseedsandinthefallandwinterit’ssugarsnappeas.Howowlsbenefitfarmingisintroduced,withanowlboxandowlpelletsondisplay.

4STRAWBERRIES/CHERRIES/SWEETCORNSTATION:(springandsummeronly)ayummystationindeed!Thisiswhereafewstrawberryplantsorcherrytreebranchesareondisplay.SweetcornontheCobforthesummermonthswillbeavailable.Howthesetypesofproducearegrownandpickedisdiscussedanddemonstrated.Wegatherundertheshadeofourcherrytree.Childrenwillpickouttheirstrawberriesorpluckoffthebranch,theircherries,totakehome.Sweetcorn,oneeareachgoeshomewiththechildren

5PUMPKINS/TORTILLACORNandSCARECROWBUILDING:(falltimeonly)afunandinterestingstation!Howdoesthepumpkingrow?Whatisthepumpkinflowerallabout?Howdoescornbecomecorn?What’sthesilkallabout?Thisstationtakesplaceinthepumpkinpatchandyes,it’sallaboutpumpkins,pumpkins,cornstalks,cornstalks!Oncethelessononpumpkinsandcorniscomplete,afewchildrenareselectedtocrankthecornShellerandthenthecorngrinder.Nowwehavecornmeal.Thenitspumpkinpickingtime!Whenyourfavoritepumpkinisfound,itisScareCrowbuildingtime!Allmaterialsprovided.

WINTER FIELD TRIPS ON THE FARM

It may be cold outside but our winter activities are so interesting that you will not notice. Besides after all the hot days of summer and fall the change is always welcomed. The trees become dormant and only cool season crops grow in the winter. Our pace slows down. It’s all about repairing the farm equipment, cleaning up tractors and having things ready when spring arrives! Our family really enjoys the different smells in the air, especially after a winter rain. So below are some interesting activities to participate in.

A The planting/soils station: Now we will plant transplants (small plant grown in a greenhouse) to take home. The best transplants are, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, snap peas and the list goes on. You will learn the different types of soil, what causes plants to grow and how all plants are good for our envioment. (older grades, this topic will go into much detail) (little ones, we will keep it very simple)

B The Shop: Inside our shop you will see what we are repairing, view all the various tools we use and even try your hand at a simple repair! (older students only) (younger, just demonstration)

CFARMYARDWITHPLAYAREA:Rainorshine,spring,summer,fallorwinterthecrittersalwaysneedourcare,loveandattention.Infacttheymissthechildren.Whenthingsslowdown,it’sthegrandkidsandJimandIwhohavetofillintoprovidetheattentionthey’vebecomeusedto.SoOreo,ourpotbellypig,JillianandJackson,ourgoats,FrecklesandFrankie,ourrabbisandallfivehensarehappytoseeanyoneinthewintertoo!

Theplayyardisthesame,withsomeadditions.Thefortcanbecomeagoodplacetoheadforcoverwhenasuddenrainstormshowsup.Oryoucouldhideunderthefortinthesandboxarea.Butwedohavealargeoverhangareabytheshopthatisquicklyconvertedintothefarmyard.Weuseourportablecorralfencingandtheshowgoeson.Wewillnowhavemorere-cycledsandsackstositandswinginalongwithanewcircleswing.Thenewfishnetwalkbridgeissomethingyou’llhavetotryoutforsure.

DHAYRIDE/WALNUTS:Iftheweatherhasn’tbeentoostormyorwetthehayrideproceedsaroundtheorchardasalways.Teachingaboutthewalnutstakesplacejustbeforeyouclimbonboard.Nowifthefieldistoowetwetrytohavethehayrideintheparkingarea.Wegoroundandround,fastandslow,thenslowandfastsotheridebecomesratherinteresting!

GENERALGUIDELINES

Allstationsarestaffedbyadultemployees,whoenjoyworkingwithchildrenandknowtheirstationsubjectswell.Dependingonhowmanystationsareselectedwiththelunchoption(bringlunches,useourpicnicarea)included,toursusuallylast1½to3hours.Pleasebeontime.Ifbeinglateisunavoidable,pleasecallus,sowemayplanaccordingly.Ifyouaremorethan15minuteslateyouwillloosefromonetotwostations.

UponarrivalastaffmemberorIwillgreetyouonthebusorinanassignedarea,ifarrivingbyvanorcars.CARPOOLINGWOULDBEAPPRECIATED.WEHAVELIMITEDPARKINGAREAS.Whentransportationisbyvanorcars,pleasehavethechildrengathertogetherimmediately!Donotletthemrunabout!Thisrulemustbefollowedforthesafetyofall.

Rainorshine(unlessanextremeweatherconditionexists)fieldtripswillgoonasscheduled.Rememberthisisaworkingfarm,whereconditionsdoaffectwhatandhowwedothings.Pleasehavenametagsforallinattendance.Itismuchmorepersonaltogreetoneanotherbyname.Pleasehavechildrendressforactive,outdoorplay.Againthisisaworkingfarm,wherewalkingonsoilandroughsurfacesisrequired,sandals,highheelsandflipflopsarehighlydiscouraged.

Fieldtripscanbescheduledanytimeoftheyear,whetheritisspring,summer,fallorwinter.Forthefallprogram,trytoscheduleamonthormoreinadvance.Feeoptionsarebelow.Allfeesarenecessarytocoverstaffing,products,overheadandinsuranceforeveryonethatentersthefarm.*Pleasenote.Wedomakefeeexceptions,attimes,dependingonthecircumstances.(PLEASENOTIFYJOANNORPATTI,IFASITUATIONSHOULDARISE)

FEES:$10.00perchildandadult(falltimewheneveryonereceivesapumpkin)or$10.00perchildand$5.00peradult(adults,nopumpkin)Otherwiseallfieldtripsare$10.00perchildand$5.00peradult.Thereisnofeeforteachersandteachersaides.Teachersreceivealargeclassroompumpkinfree,fromthelittlestorearea.