I suppose now is as good of a time as any to talk about what we’re doing on the farm. Interestingly enough, just the other day we hosted a group of school kids and one of the chaperones remarked, “I had no idea you did all this stuff out here.”
There are certain undeniable truths of life. We know without any doubt, that farm kids tend to grow up to be physically healthier, more socially adaptable, and enjoy greater economic diversity later in life than their urban counterparts. We know that rural communities that are surrounded by a variety of successful, independently-owned farms are more vibrant than communities surrounded by industry. We also know that all of this is changing, and you can see it with your own eyes — there are no farm kids anymore, at least not in the traditional sense. Likewise, the concept of the family farm is dead.
What is happening in the United States is nothing new; societies throughout history have morphed away from private ownership of the production of food, to a centralized structure. Call it a corporate structure, or government-owned; are we going to kid ourselves into thinking that there is a difference between the two? Factory (or government) farms have replaced family farms, and wherever you choose to look — health trends, quality of education, economic diversity, cost and quality of food; nothing good is coming of this change.
So then, for every action there must be an equal but opposite reaction, and that is where we come in. If independently-owned farms are going to survive, they will have to develop a direct-to-consumer relationship of some sort. In our case, we opened our doors and invited people to the farm, in the form of farmstays, tours, and authentic experiences.
By far, my favorite groups to host are the school groups. There is something special about being in kindergarten or first grade; the world is still filled with wonder, and you can see it in the eyes of a child. Or, as I sarcastically like to say, life hasn’t quite had a chance to beat you down yet at that age. There’s a reason us older people tend to be grouchier than children — we’ve lived it.
“Hey kids, you wanna see a chicken? You want to see a cow? Anyone here want to pet a pony? Who wants to feed a pig? Anyone interested in sitting in a tractor?”
Each question is met with a chorus of enthusiastic screams. Every kid shoots their hand in the air, and they all gather around to interact with each group of animals. As a sign of the times, I inevitably ask, “Who here is from a farm?” In a group of 20 or so students, maybe four or five will raise their hand. A generation ago, it would’ve been half the class. Two generations ago, two-thirds of the class would’ve been raised on a farm.
Chickens are awesome to talk about with kids. “Who here likes dinosaurs?” Of course they do. “Did you know chickens are a direct descendant of dinosaurs? Plus, they poop breakfast.” Piece of cake. This is easy.
Over by the cows, “You know how you grab things with your hands? Well, cows don’t have fingers. They use their tongue instead!” Almost on cue, a curious cow stretches her neck, opens her mouth, and reaches out with a disproportionately long tongue, trying to reach one of the kids. A brave child reaches back and gets his hand licked. “It feels like sandpaper!” And then they all have to try it.
The pigs never disappoint. “These are our very own garbage disposals. They eat everything!” This of course sparks an animated discussion about what they will eat, which includes a range of everything from cheese pizza to actual, literal mud.
By far, my favorite experience to share are the horses. “You know how as humans, we are always thinking ahead? We’re always thinking about what we’re doing after school, or this weekend, or where we’re going next. Horses don’t think that way at all. The only thing horses care about, is what’s happening right here, right now. They are very grounded animals.”
What kid doesn’t want to ride a horse? The boys climb aboard and almost always want to go fast. “Can we run?” We do not run; we start out slow to build the connection with the animal. The girls tend to be more deliberate in their approach. No doubt, the equestrian world is female dominated, and you can see it in the eyes of the little girls that ride for the very first time; that dawning recognition of a long-lost, genuine connection that was just unlocked. Something special; a secret long buried by our disconnect from the natural world.
What’s the alternative? Sitting in a half-comatose state, staring blankly at a screen? Reacting to artificial stimulants that are neither substantive nor meaningful? No wonder chronic depression and attention disorders are on the rise.
On one of our farm tours a veteran educator sadly remarked, “No-one reads to their kids anymore. Most kids are handed an electronic device and left alone. Well, most of them anyway. There are a few parents who still read to their kids and you can absolutely see the difference.”
— Dan Wegmueller is the owner of Wegmueller Farms and his column appears regularly in the Times. His website is
https://www.farmforthought.org.
