Definition of Farm:
Noun: an area of land and its buildings used for growing crops and rearing animals, typically under the control of one owner or manager
farming and family
The beginning of our farming adventure
Let me just start off by saying that I was not raised on any sort of farm–not with farm animals or growing a garden. My husband was not raised with any either. We both actually grew up in cities and had the typical household pets– dogs, cats, and fish. When we started our family that was the extent of the animals we thought we would have.
Somehow though, living in the rural area where we do, and seeing farm animals around, we ended up deciding to start raising chickens. Our kids were very young at the time but they loved having chickens. Being able to raise the tiniest little chicks into full size, egg laying hens was amazing for the kids. The excitement in the kids’ eyes when opening the nesting boxes and finding eggs that had been laid was priceless! We also started a garden that got bigger every year. I will admit, at that point with the kids so young, all of the hard work was on us as parents. There is no doubt though that effort we put in was worth it for our kids have the farm experience.
new farming journey
Fast forward a few years, and we have sold our home that had property enough to be able to have farm animals and a big garden. Our kids have constantly been begging to go back to having acreage and room for that again. We are just about to have that again soon, thank goodness!
Our daughter has recently acquired a horse that is currently residing with family nearby. We go there every day to feed him and take care of him. He will be moving to our new property when it’s ready for him and we could not be more excited. The joy he brings to us, along with the responsibility he is teaching our kids is worth every ounce of effort it is to care for him.
Along with the horse, and of course more chickens, we look forward to welcoming various new animals to our farm along with a big garden again in the near future. We have found the following reasons to be why having a farm is so great for a family.
Reason #1- The joy animals bring to us
There is nothing quite like the love from a pet. The excitement that our horse shows when he sees us coming toward his pasture is incredible. He can not wait to rub up against us and give us kisses! The affection he shows can turn any bad mood around instantly. The calm that comes after being around an animal like that is truly incredible.
Reason #2- The responsibility kids learn when having to care for animals and plants
It has been amazing to see our kids learn about responsibility when having to care for another living thing. Almost every day, our daughter is overly excited to go see her horse and feed him. Only rare occasions however, that has gotten in the way with something else she wanted to do. She has had to learn that even though she wants to do something else, there is still a hungry horse waiting for her to feed him. The very same lesson has come about with feeding the dog or cat at home. Any animal needing fed or plants needing water can easily teach this lesson to kids. It is a valuable lesson to teach not only responsibility but also selflessness.
reason #3- learning where their food comes from
I had the amazing opportunity a few years ago to hear Dr. Temple Grandin speak at a country living fair in our area. She is a professor and speaker on both autism and animal behavior. She gave some shocking statistics about the number of children growing up in cities and not knowing where their food comes from. I had never thought to that before but she talked about studies showing that a large number of kids raised in cities truly thought their food just came from the grocery store. I realized right then that I wanted to make sure my kids knew where their food came from. Whether you have chickens, a milking cow or goat, or animals raised for meat, you’re providing a great learning experience for your kids. Obviously, not everyone is able to raise these types of animals, but even growing a small vegetable garden can provide the same experience!
Reason #4- learning about the cycle of life
This is a hard lesson for kids to have to learn. I do know though, that it is an important life lesson to have to learn. We have had chickens killed by predators, family members have lost barn cats, and alpacas have died. Our kids have even gotten sad when the production time of their favorite garden veggie has come to an end. It is such a practical way for them to learn about the cycle of life.
reason #5- the time spent working together as a family
There is no doubt that having a farm takes work. Whether it be building the pen or fence, training animals, or feeding and caring for them, it takes working together. Spending this kind of quality time together will be one of the best memories for kids. We have spent many hours together as a family working on projects for our animals, building raised garden beds, and planting. We all have great memories from these experiences.
Plant a garden
Planting a garden can really be done with any amount of space. At our current home we have a very small yard and much of it is shaded. We ended up making a little space on the side of the driveway to put two long rectangular raised beds. Alongside a rock wall we also planted some herbs and strawberries. Small pots or planter boxes are great options for patio areas. You can even just mix some edible plants into your regular landscaping. The key is to be able to teach your kids the process of planting something that you will then harvest. Here are some great ideas of products that will take make it easy to get a garden started.
raise a flock of backyard chickens
Raising a small flock of chickens can be done in many yards unless you have restrictions against it where you live. They don’t need a ton of space, it can be a fun family hobby, and it is so rewarding to always have fresh eggs!
There are some great chicken coops that are compact, well made, and are very affordable. They are pretty low maintenance animals and don’t require many supplies. Here is an example of what we like to use.
find a U-pick farm
Do some research and find a U-pick farm in your area. Make a fun day trip with your kids to a farm where they can pick favorite fruits, berries or veggies. It is such a great experience for kids to see the farms where their food grows before getting to the grocery store or farmers markets. The memories you will make from these experiences are priceless! Our favorites to go pick are strawberries and apples. We love to make strawberry jam and applesauce after our adventures. They’re both so easy to make and require very little supplies. Here’s what we use.
homemade strawberry jam
Strawberry Freezer Jam is a favorite in our family and so easy to make. I follow the directions that are right included in the box of pectin. All you need is:
Strawberries, Pectin, Sugar, and Containers
homemade applesauce
Homemade applesauce may be one of the easiest things to make. After peeling and slicing the apples (which is a fun event on its own) you just simmer on the stove with a little water. After they become soft and cook down into sauce, just add a little sugar and cinnamon to taste. Let cool a bit, then put into containers and freeze.
I hope I have inspired you to find a way to add a little bit of farm into your family. If you have any other ideas on giving kids the farm life experiences I would love to hear! Please comment below!
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