When was the last time you took your kids out to the farm? Enjoying everything a farm has to offer, especially during the fall will create lasting family memories!
Farm Life is the Best During Fall!
Farm life in the fall is always busy. It’s a great time to check out a pumpkin patch, apple orchard or farm stand where your children can experience a real farm. Not to mention the yummy treats of freshly picked fruits and vegetables, pies, breads and preserves that are ready in September, October and November.
As if that isn’t enticing enough, check out these 4 benefits to getting your kids out to the farm this fall!
4 Benefits Of Getting Your Kids (and you!) Out To The Farm
Teach Your Kids Where Their Food Comes From
Most people don’t think about where their food comes from. You make it, serve it and (hopefully your kids will) eat it. But teaching kids where their food comes from gives them a new perspective on what they are consuming.
They learn about the growth of the crops, from planting, to harvest and perhaps see firsthand the time and effort that goes into creating good food to eat. Animal care is also equally important, milk production, beef, poultry, pig, sheep and so on are all important aspects of farm life.
As children learn this, it creates a deeper understanding of why they shouldn’t waste their food too. There is a farmer, a truck driver, a factory worker, a store clerk (and more!) who worked hard to get them healthy options.
Find Inspiration for Your Backyard
See what’s possible to grow in your garden. Maybe you can have a crop of carrots, sunflowers and pumpkins next year. Seeing it out in a field can help give you a mental picture of what you can do (on a smaller scale). Get your family excited about being “farmers in their backyard” with their own plants!
Slow Down and Enjoy the Changing Season
Fall can be a busy time of year as school and activities resume. When was the last time you looked at the world around you and saw it changing?
Take your kids to the farm to see crops ready to be harvested. Check out pumpkins, apples, gourds and other autumn abundance that is in season at this time. Look at the leaves on the trees, and watch as they change to glorious reds, oranges and yellows.
Encourage your children to spot new colours in the landscape. Create lasting autumn memories with them as you discuss all the colours they see.
Create Community Connections
If you can check out a local farm, you make community connections. It opens up learning opportunities for yourself as well as your family. You can purchase food from the source so you know where it comes from, or who has made it.
Some farms also offer classes or educational venues that you can explore.
At Generations Marketplace, we encourage people young and old to experience the farm and take home more than just delicious home baked goods and preserves. That’s why we offer classes to help people learn about farming, homesteading and other skills. It’s a community connection we love to make, by providing educational opportunities to better the lives of those who visit us!
Get Your Kids Out To The Farm!
Find a local farm that offers hands-on experience, be it pick your own or learning opportunities and get your kids out there! Pull out the rubber boots, find some old jeans and let them get dirty.
As kids learn where their food comes from they will develop a deeper appreciation for what they eat. Maybe they’ll even want to start their garden to care for it! And as you make connections with community members, perhaps you can take home some learning of your own.
Most importantly, visit a farm so you can make lasting memories together as family or friends!
Want to check out our farm and marketplace? Visit our information page for details about the classes we offer, the days we are open and how you can connect with us. We look forward to meeting you!
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