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Explore the wonders of nature and field research through our forest, creek, and gardens! Our expert naturalists will guide you through favorite features of Deep Hollow Creek such as Berry Falls, Unity Plateau, and indoor barn gathering and learning spaces as we explore plant and animal biodiversity and interconnections in various habitats.
Why visit the farm?
Every child, adult and those in-between should spend time on the farm. Everyone! Wear boots, get your hands in the soil, care for the animals, plant a tree, explore the hard work of the farm. Be open to learning about agriculture, community, food, soil, ecosystems, habitats. It will be fun, enlightening, and an important character developer in your life.
Here, families can lift the veil and see that Farms are Where Food Comes From. We are so used to seeing our food neatly packaged in the grocery stores, clean and behind plastic. This is how we think of our food–and how can our children think of it in any other way? But the truth is that this meat came from an animal, this vegetable was grown in the ground, bread was made from golden wheat fields.
Farms produce the food we consume day and day out. We know this intellectually but even adults need reminding. Head to the farm and the next time you are at the grocery store or sitting down for a meal think of those farmers and all the work they did to produce what you enjoy.
A visit to the farm will show that producing food takes real work. Not only does our food come from farms–it takes real work to produce. And real people do that work. When you pick up a pound of ground beef at the grocery store, not only did that meat come from a real live animal, but that animal had been cared for, fed and managed since the day it was born. Work like cutting hay, cleaning pens, treating ailments, and filling bins with feed is real work that needs doing every day. All the delicious fruits and nutritious veggies that nourish your bodies and delight your palettes, those took work to plant, maintain and harvest as well. All food takes work to produce, and much of that work is done by real live people, just like you.
Disconnection from the farm leads to some deep confusion about farming and farmers. A trip to the farm connects you to a real farmer, which can dispel many myths and biases. Farmers are business owners managing assets, technologies, employing a broad and deep knowledge of plant and animal science and ever-changing markets. Real farmers are women, young people, families, people of all backgrounds. Real farmers work the land with love, treat animals with respect and care and endeavor to feed communities the world over. It’s vital and sustaining work and should be made available to any and all who want to live this way.