Farm Visit Day

Overview

There is no substitute for standing in a field where food grows, smelling the soil, hearing the animals, and watching a farmer do work that feeds people. A farm visit transforms the abstract ("food comes from farms") into something visceral and unforgettable. This field plan prepares you for a full-day farm visit — from finding the right farm to processing what your child experienced afterward.

Location Requirements

Types of farms to visit:

• Pick-your-own farms: Strawberry, apple, pumpkin, or blueberry farms are widely available and family-friendly. The picking is the activity. Many have farm stands, animals to see, and educational signage.
• Working dairy or livestock farms: Some offer tours or open farm days. Seeing a cow milked or chickens in a coop is powerful for children who've only seen these animals in books.
• Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms: If you're a CSA member (or want to become one), many farms offer member visit days. These are working vegetable farms where your child can see rows of crops at different stages.
• Educational or demonstration farms: Some counties and universities run teaching farms specifically designed for school groups and families. These often have the best programming for children.
• Hobby farms or homesteads: If you know someone with backyard chickens, a goat, or a vegetable garden, that counts. Intimate visits can be more impactful than large farm tours.

How to find farms:

• Search "farm tours near me" or "pick your own [your county]"
• Check your local county extension office website
• Ask at your farmers' market — the vendors ARE the farmers
• LocalHarvest.org lists farms by zip code

What to confirm when booking:

• Are children welcome? (Almost always yes, but ask.)
• Is there a guided tour or is it self-guided?
• Are there animals? Can children interact with them?
• Restroom availability?
• Any restrictions (no pets, no strollers on muddy paths, etc.)?

Pre-Trip Preparation

One Week Before

• Book the visit if reservations are required. Many pick-your-own farms don't need reservations; working farms and dairies usually do.
• Research the farm with your child. Visit their website. "This is the farm we're going to. They grow [crops] and raise [animals]. What are you most excited to see?"
• Read a book about farming: "Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table" by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, or "Right This Very Minute" by Lisl Detlefsen are excellent pre-visit reads.

The Day Before

Prepare the observation journal. Help your child create 3-4 pages with prompts:

• Page 1: "Draw the farm when we arrive. What does it look like?"
• Page 2: "Animals I saw:" (with space for drawings and notes)
• Page 3: "Plants I saw:" (with space for drawings and notes)
• Page 4: "Things that surprised me:"

Prepare questions for the farmer:

• "What do you grow/raise here?"
• "What time do you wake up to start work?"
• "What's the hardest part of farming?"
• "What's your favorite thing to grow/raise?"
• "What happens to the food after you harvest it?"

Pack the bag: Journal, pencil, camera, snacks, water, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, cash for the farm stand.

Set expectations: "A farm is an animal's home and a farmer's workplace. We walk calmly around animals — no running or shouting. We don't touch animals unless the farmer says we can. We stay on paths unless invited into fields. And we leave things the way we found them."

Field Schedule

Adjust timing to your farm's format. A pick-your-own visit will weight heavily toward the picking activity. A dairy farm tour will center on the milking demonstration.

Observation Guide

Help your child notice these things (discuss as you walk):

The Land:

• "How big is this farm? Can you see the edges?"
• "What color is the soil? Is it the same everywhere?"
• "Is the land flat or hilly? Where does the water go when it rains?"

The Plants:

• "Can you find the same plant at different stages — a seedling, a medium plant, and a full-grown one?"
• "What do the roots look like? Can you see any?"
• "How close together are the plants? Why do you think the farmer spaced them that way?"

The Animals (if present):

• "What are the animals eating? Where does their food come from?"
• "Do they have enough space? How is their living area set up?"
• "How does the farmer keep them healthy?"

The Farmer's Work:

• "What tools does the farmer use?"
• "What tasks did you see the farmer doing today?"
• "Does this work look hard? What do you think the farmer does when it's raining? In winter?"

Connections to Your Life:

• "Which of these foods do we eat at home?"
• "Have you seen any of these in the grocery store? Does it look different here?"
• "What surprised you the most?"

Post-Trip Processing

On the Drive Home

Open-ended conversation (don't quiz — just talk):

• "What was your favorite part?"
• "What was the most surprising thing?"
• "Would you want to be a farmer? Why or why not?"
• "What's one thing you want to remember from today?"

That Evening or the Next Day

Complete the observation journal. Draw pictures of what they remember. Write (or dictate) descriptions. Attach any photos you printed or display them together on screen.

Cook with farm food. If you bought anything from the farm stand, prepare it together that evening. The connection from "I saw where this grew" to "now I'm eating it" is the whole point.

Write a thank-you. If the farmer gave a personal tour, help your child write or draw a thank-you card. Mail it. Farmers rarely hear from the families they feed.

The Following Week

Connect to other learning:

• "Remember in our Where Does Food Come From lesson, we traced our sandwich back to farms? Now you've BEEN to one of those farms."
• "Remember our garden project? How is our garden similar to the farm? How is it different?"

Weather & Season Notes

• Spring: Baby animals, planting season, muddy fields. Bring boots.
• Summer: Peak growing season, pick-your-own berries and vegetables, hot — bring sun protection and extra water.
• Fall: Harvest season, apple and pumpkin picking, gorgeous colors, comfortable temperatures. This is the most popular farm visit season for good reason.
• Winter: Many farms are quiet, but some offer tours of barns, winter crops (greenhouse farms), or maple sugaring (late winter in the Northeast).

Rain plan: Light rain is fine on a farm — that's when farmers work too. Heavy rain or thunderstorms: reschedule. Mud is inevitable on most farms — embrace it.

Safety Notes

• Animals: Even friendly farm animals can bite, kick, or step on small feet. Children should approach calmly, extend a flat hand for sniffing (not fingers), and back away if the animal seems agitated. Wash hands thoroughly after touching animals.
• Allergies: Farms have hay, pollen, animal dander, and dust. If your child has allergies, bring medication and plan for exposure.
• Sun and heat: Farms offer little shade. Hat, sunscreen, and frequent water breaks are essential in warm weather.
• Terrain: Farm paths are uneven. Closed-toe shoes are mandatory — no sandals. Watch for holes, roots, and equipment.
• Farm equipment: Keep children away from tractors, machinery, and tools unless the farmer explicitly invites interaction. Even parked equipment can be dangerous.
• Food safety: Don't eat unwashed produce directly from the field. Wash or wipe everything first.