Families on the Farm
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We started the Families on the Farm program in October of 2020, six grueling months into the pandemic. We wanted to have kids back on the farm, we wanted to connect to our community, we wanted everyone to feel safe. We decided we’d run a small, simple program where families would be invited to help a staff member do chores. We’d limit the program to one to two families at a time, and we’d ask parents to accompany their children in case they needed help. We would all be masked, we would stay socially distant.
I remember running Families on the Farm back then–the whole thing was very fun, very funny. How do you explain a quick release hose from six feet away? Or help carry a bale of hay? Or herd sheep? With a lot of detailed instructions, patience, and laughter. Parents stepped up to help when needed, but also spent a good amount of time blown away watching their kids lug full-sized bales of hay up hills, muck stalls, and scrub water dishes (“she’d never do that at home…” one mom whispered to me).
Just over a year later, we’re still running Families on the Farm. We’ve eased up on the masking and social distancing, but we’ve decided to keep many other elements the same. We love the small, intimate nature of this program. It’s a great way for us to get to know families. Jody Hopp runs the Families on the Farm now. She appreciates the one-on-one time with the families.
“It’s sweet and the interactions between kids and parents as they work together feel really meaningful. I think parents are surprised by the care and attentiveness their kids show while working with the animals–especially the larger ones!”
Interested in coming out to help with chores? We’d love to see you! You can find out more about Families on the Farm on our program page.
