Flowers, Lambs, Worms & Dirt: A Kid's-Eye View of Organic Farming

photo by Karina Salinas Heredia

When I was in third grade or so, my class visited a local farm. I didn’t learn a lot that day, not exactly: mostly what I recall is the smell of hay&manure, and the big scary turkeys clucking at me through a fence. Still, it brought the idea of a farm out of the Old MacDonald fantasy realm, and into reality; thereafter, when I saw an Orzalli peach pie at the farmer’s market, I knew where it had come from.

Don and Daphne at Zephyros Farm have taken the farm visit a step further: more than just a tour, their educational visits give kids the chance to see earthworms up close, weed and plant, and cuddle any adorable quadriped that might happen to be grazing nearby.

photo by Karina Salinas Heredia

Zephyros is part of the Kids On Farms program, funded by the Kampe Foundation; they’ve set up a curriculum that gives students a hands-on experience in organic farm life. Activities vary by season, but usually involve getting your hands dirty and sampling some of the produce or (mmmm) goat’s milk.

Don and Daphne are big fans of the agritourism movement, and welcome anyone who wants to come through and learn how things are done. They also host gourmet farm dinners for kids and grownups alike who appreciate good food and the farmers who grow it. They’re both good teachers, incredibly knowledgeable, and (most importantly) very talented at this farming thing; their crops, livestock, and ability to rattle off Latin names of plants all hint that despite unassuming exteriors, these two are ag experts.

I wasn’t on the farm long enough to follow any classroom tours myself, but Karina was; her photos are so good, and the classroom trips such a great idea, that I thought it was very much worth sharing. Enjoy— and if you’re a teacher or know someone who is, talk to them about helping kids get to a local farm. We could all use a little dirt under our fingernails sometimes, right?