Top reasons to visit a farm with children

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Mother earth is a beautiful planet. The wonder Mother Nature displays is truly astonishing. The Greenfield, fruit-loaded trees, dancing winds, and forests are only some of its beauties. Nature is full of blessings and grace for humanity. It is capable of healing a ruined body and a broken mind. For a nature lover, each and every object existing in nature is as much living as any human being.

Unfortunately, we are boxed-in inside the concrete jungle and are too wrapped in our world of responsibilities that we forget to take a look around and discover the beauty of nature. So, in this article, we will help you and your children to experience nature closely and to its fullest in the form of Agritourism.

Agritourism, better known as Agriturismo, is becoming more popular and it’s understandable. Started in Italy, the term “agriturismo” is a combination of the words agricoltura for agriculture and turismo for tourism. While agriturismo refers to farms in Italy, the concept has spread to many other countries. 

Below are 11 reasons that will tempt you to bring your kids to visit an Agrifarm.

The Healthiest Produce You Can Ever Find

If you and your family are visiting a farm for the very first time, be ready to experience how fruits and vegetables are grown first hand! From planting seedlings inside a greenhouse to picking ripe fruits straight off the vine and popping them right into your mouth- you’ll be in for some serious adventure.

All the fruits and vegetables taste better, too. Tomatoes that are left on the vine until they ripen are much juicier and sweeter than ones that have to be picked green so that they will be red by the time they get to the grocery store.

Your kids will learn how your food grow

Educate yourself and your family about how the food that is grown on farms is organic and free from all harmful pesticides and genetically modified ingredients. You’ll also find some free-range and organic poultry animals running around. Watch them peck the earth for worms and eat the overly ripened vegetables from the garden! As a result, these chickens lay the most healthy and delicious eggs. These eggs taste much better and healthier because of the varied natural diet those free range chickens eat and the healthy stress-free way they are raised.

Pick the produce yourself

You might argue that buying from any fresh vegetable aisle at the supermarket allows you to pick the products you’ll bring home. But have you ever tried picking them directly from the plant, bush, or tree that is making them?

Enjoy the authentic picking experience when visiting a local farm. Most farmers will be pleased to let your kids go pick the produce directly from the earth or trees. And what can be fresher than that? Wash off the dirt and impurities and you can eat them before getting back to your car.

This also provides a means to get in touch with nature, enjoy the perks of harvesting, and why it is not a good exercise. The satisfaction of getting to pick your fruit, right from the tree or from the ground, is immense.

Your children will see different farm animals

Going on a visit to a farm is a great way of getting up close and personal with lots of new furry, hairy or feathered friends. Lots of farms have small animal petting areas and loads of other activities you can join in with as well. Visiting a farm is a great way to find out more about animals and plants, and learn how humans look after and use them.

Lots of farms have areas where you can meet baby animals and birds and feed or hold them too. You may be lucky enough to visit a farm that has all sorts of animals, from the normal ones you’d expect to find on a farm like cows, sheep, pigs, or horses to ones with ducks, chicken, geese, or turkeys. Some farms have more unusual animals like llamas, alpacas, or reindeer.

On different types of farms, you might see different things, for example, dairy farms will be full of cows that need to be milked, whereas fruit or vegetables farms might like your help to pick some of their crops. There will probably be an expert farmer on hand to talk to you about the animals or the crops on the farm so that you’ll know more about how they live. The farmer will also tell you what you can and can’t do around the animals.

Learn something new

Take this trip as a learning opportunity for your entire family. Your children will learn more about how farm equipment works and different types of animals, fruits, and vegetables. Farms often have fun activities planned for kids and adults alike! Take a guided tour or find your way through a corn maze- you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to learning something new.

You can even talk to the farmers to guide you through the whole process. When you show genuine interest in the farm, the farmers will be delighted to show you how the food is grown so that you can have full faith that the food you are eating is coming from 100% natural sources.

Ultimately, you’ll get to spend quality time outdoors, soaking in nature as well as the fresh air and the gentle, warm sun rays, while also picking up some real-life skills that might come in handy. You can also learn more about the history of farming, where and how it all originated, what machines are used nowadays vs. the old days, and the responsibilities that a farmer holds.

And let’s not ignore one of the most authentic experiences of them all-sleeping in a hay barn. The smell of hay can be so relaxing that you will wake up fresh and rested

A Great Learning Experience for Kids

Visiting a local farm can have an impact on children in many ways. Let’s be honest. There are very limited spaces in the city where the kids are free to run around. Being parents, we force our children to hold our hands and stay with us at all times. But being at a farm will let you step out of the helicopter parent’ zone. The children will fall in love with the large grassy fields and will want to run around all day long.

Children are prone to ask all sorts of questions about different things they see every day, imagine what they can come up with on a farm! Farms present a chance to teach children about agriculture, animals, plants and so much more. Learning about farms can also be an opportunity to teach them about other ways of life in different parts of the city, state, country, and even world.

While visiting farms can be worthwhile educational experiences but can also be a great time to explore and have fun outdoors. With today’s children staying in more and more watching screens and playing games it’s important to take the opportunity to get them engaged in nature and other outdoor activities.

While visiting farms can be worthwhile educational experiences but can also be a great time to explore and have fun outdoors. With today’s children staying in more and more watching screens and playing games it’s important to take the opportunity to get them engaged in nature and other outdoor activities.

Positive effect on your Kids mental Health

Everyone knows that interacting with nature is beneficial for your kids’ health. In fact, according to a recent study, outdoor trips and exposure to nature can reduce stress levels by as much as 28% in children. Kids experience so much pleasure and stress reduction when they step outdoors, even for a little while. Imagine how much good a whole day at the farm brings about.

A Chance to Buy Organic Produce Cheaply

We all know that organically grown food (whether it be vegetables, fruits, meat, dairy, or grains) is better for us than conventionally grown food, which is not only genetically modified in some cases but also exposed to fertilizers, pesticides, and hormones. Unfortunately, this healthier food is invariably more expensive. And while many of us aspire to have a healthier and more nutritious diet, we have to balance that with our budget constraints.

However, organic produce from a locally owned farm is typically less expensive than what you will see in a grocery store. And when you include the additional benefits you get from locally grown produce, the overall value can justify the additional cost.

Chance to see unique produce 

This benefit is probably not going to be true at every farm you come across, but depending on how curious and adventurous the farmers and customers are, you may find fruits and vegetables that you can’t readily find at your local store. This could be a great aesthetic and learning experience to see products you have never seen before.

Meeting Some Extraordinary People

Farmers has become a rare breed around the globe. For example in the USA,  At the beginning of the 20th century, over 30% of the American labor force consisted of farm workers. By the end of the century, that percentage had dropped to around 3%. Even rarer are small independent farmers. These Farmers are very dedicated, hard-working, and genuine people. It is obvious that they love what they do. It is also obvious that they see the importance and value of keeping this disappearing way of life a reality. They and the members of their farm are vocal advocates of preserving and protecting not only the farm itself but also the surrounding lands that are home to native wildlife.

A huge part of the pleasure that you will get from visiting the farm comes from having a chat with these farmers, walking through the rows of growing plants with them, and learning more about each variety from them. You will feel their enthusiasm and their love towards farming and it will encourage you to grow your home vegetable garden in your backyard.

Supporting your local farm Community

Finally, your visit to the farm is also beneficial for the owners as they will get to sell their products right from their property, without having to turn to middlemen or go weekly to farmer’s markets. This means you will get them at a reasonable price, and this way, the farm owners will be encouraged to continue producing organic products. They will not be forced to reduce costs to detriment of quality. So it’s a win-win situation.

Local farmers are not just running small businesses. They are also providing a benefit to their communities. They give their customers access to healthy and nutritious produce at reasonable prices. They also educate members of the community on the value and importance of local agriculture to our economy and our well-being. They teach children where fruits and vegetables (and sometimes eggs, milk, and meat) come from. They inspire these children to eat healthier and more varied diets and to hopefully pass their inspiration on to others. When you shop at your local farm, you not only support your family but also support the extended community around you.

Conclusion

Once you visit a local farm around you, you will return home feeling fresh. It’s a great day trip for the family with added benefits of returning home with a trunk full of fresh groceries. Plan healthy meals for weeks to come and you’ll feel so much better inside out.

So, if you haven’t experienced it already, look for a local farm nearby and visit them frequently. Learn more about the vendors at the farmers’ market and buy fresh produce from them. Support the local farmers and establish a relationship with them. This way, you will be able to experience the benefits mentioned above, and who knows, you might even discover new ones of your own. You will help support the local economy and agriculture and boost local tourism by telling people about your experience at the farm.

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