The Farm: A Truly Unique Animal Experience
Probably one of the best animal related field trips that we have been on with our homeschoolers was a trip we made to The Farm. The Farm is located in Walnut Creek, Ohio, in the center of Amish country.
We have a great zoo option very close by in Kingwood, West Virginia, with Hovatter's Zoo that everyone needs to see. So, had it not been for the fact that we had taken our homeschoolers to Choral Camp for a week, (which is a whole other story), and we were now picking them up, we probably won't have stopped at The Farm. But, not wanting to waste a perfectly good trip that could have turned into a field trip, we decided to spend a couple days in Walnut Creek. Walnut Creek was wonderful. Lots of field trip value there!
At the farm, you get to see lots of animals, but not just in cages. Instead, you get to go inside with the animals.
The majority of the animals roam around in their own pastures, so when you go to The Farm, you visit them. The owners load visitors up on hay wagons and drive the wagon through all of the zoo pastures. Visitors have buckets of food, and the animals know it, so as soon as they see the wagon, they come running.
The animals come right up and nudge you for food, lick your cheek, and let you pet them. You are probably wondering if that is a little dangerous, aren't you? Honestly, the animals all seemed pretty tame, though some were a little overly excited about visiting, so not many people finished the ride without a little slobber on their arms and cheeks. Picture a buffalo that thinks he's a puppy.
There weren't any super dangerous carnivores on the ride. But there were some pretty unusual animals that I never thought I'd get to touch in my lifetime, including a few giraffes that we actually got to pet.
It was a pretty memorable day, and well worth both the time we spent traveling and the cost of entry. Check out the video below.
Click on the image above for a promotional video about The Farm.
While you are in Walnut Creek, you HAVE to visit Der Dutchman Restaurant, either for lunch or dinner. You can order off the menu, but the buffet is incrediable. And, you also need to stop at the Walnut Creek Cheese and Meat Store for lots of fresh, homemade baked goods and other goodies to take home.
Walnut Creek has a lot of other things to offer too, like visiting an old-time Amish farm, getting to ride Clydesdales, and their indoor flea market. For more information, go to www.ohioamishcountry.com/walnut-creek. We stayed overnight at a bed and breakfast in an Amish home, which didn't cost any more than a hotel. It was a very pleasant stay.