Over the last few years of me being in the 'beyond organic' marketplace, I have discovered tons of local farms that deserve recognition. It is hard to take kids to places like this most of the time... except during harvest season. So this month, we are visiting at least 4 farms (have feelers out for more).
The topic of food is so amazingly important to me that it is very hard to move my homeschooling away from it. Buying local, organic, cruelty free food has led me on a path of understanding of our food systems that I never even thought possible. The egg industry alone has opened up hundreds of opportunities for learning for my children as I debate organic vs local vs pasture fed. I can not help but teach my children about my passions and hope that they develop some good questioning thoughts about the food they eat for themselves when they get older. I know that I have livestock animal cruelty conversations with my daughter often, and my oldest is very interested in baking (and also quite good at it!).
Our first farm: Lattin's Cider Mill
What a wonderful little spot! It is about 40 miles from me now, but we still find ourselves there this time of year. They specialize in cider (of course) and get all of their apples in season (being right now) and from just the other side of the mountains (100 mile or so away).
This time of year they have many products that come from their own gardens around the mill and they sell those in a barn set up to be a market place. They make their own doughnuts and you can feed the chickens (and buy their eggs) while you share a cup of hot cider and a freshly made apple fritter with your tots. It is the most magical spot for children to go. They nearly always have baby something... currently it is pheasants and bunnies... and you are allowed to feed, pet, and play with the goats, walk the pumpkin patch, and pet the cows.
I miss being closer to such a wonderful resource for education as well as food, but as you will see... the Farm Tour goes on (and to much closer locations!).
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I LOVE the Cider Mill! We went there last month and I'm going there again Friday! It's one of my favorite places to go. Here's my blog link from last time we went: http://butterfliesinoly.blogspot.com/2010/09/lattins-country-cider-mill.html It's so fun!
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