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10/14/08, 07:06 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: SW Michigan
Posts: 16,408
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hand-free farming.....for kids!
Our Home school group took the kids to a farm today to supposedly see how a farm works. It is a farm obviously set up for this kind of thing and they have really put a lot of work and planning and effort into it. Only.....the kids were continuously told to "not touch," "don't go over there," "stay on the sidewalk," etc.
They had cute little barns with farming displays in them for the kids. A chicken 'house' with fake chickens sitting on the nests. The kids were given corn to 'feed' the chickens (without touching them) then instructed to pick up an artificial egg from the basket full of eggs. They picked tomatoes out of a box and a potato from off the top of a pile of straw in a box and apples from off the ground - all artificial. The saw a small bale of cotton. There was a wooden cow they could 'milk'. then they deposited the items they had collected at the Farmer's Market. I thought that was rather cute. They did get to feed the donkey's a handful of hay, but "don't touch the donkey." Weren't allowed to touch the fence where the calves and goats were, or the corn in the corn maze. The kids enjoyed themselves, but I wonder just how much they learned about a farm.
How many of you have "hands-free farming"?
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10/14/08, 07:26 PM
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Five Oaks Ranch-in SW AR
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: SW AR
Posts: 292
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probably a liability issue...
__________________
I am a great believer in luck. The harder I work, the more of it I seem to have.
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10/14/08, 07:28 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Austin-ish, Texas
Posts: 5,000
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You lost me at "sidewalk" 
What a shame!
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"Perhaps I'll have them string a clothesline from the hearse I am in, with my underwear waving in the breeze, as we drive to the cemetary. People worry about the dumbest things!"
by Wendy
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10/14/08, 07:39 PM
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Just howling at the moon
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Wyoming
Posts: 5,530
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Mostly for safety of your kids. Urban children aren't taught the same hygenics as farm children. Hands go on the farm animals then in there mouths. Farm kids get exposed to all kinds of germs that urban kids never see until they visit a farm like this. Research all the problems petting zoos have had lately. They have to be "no touch" for the protection of your children and to stay in business.
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If the grass looks greener it is probably over the septic tank. - troy n sarah tx
Our existance here is soley for the expoitation of CMG
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10/14/08, 07:48 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Indiana
Posts: 299
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OK, two things: didn't you hear about the daycare in Florida where a toddler died from salmonella (?) after being at a petting zoo and not washing his hands before eating?
A terrible tragedy - so farms are a lot more cautious about children touching things, to protect the children. Farm kids build up a natural immunity to all the "germs" out there, but town kids don't have that and can get sick.
Second: my hubby and I were asked to host a homeschool group, kids and moms, so they could learn about the farm. We spent three weeks getting things kid-friendly, putting in paths and putting up dividers in the barn, so they could see the sheep/goats, but not step in you-know-what, fixing up the garden and plants with labels, generally working to make it a great and informative visit. The kids were unable to listen as a group, kept interupting when I tried to explain what they were seeing (I'm a teacher, so presenting info is what I do, to all ages), ran into the road (?!?!?), and had a micro-second attention span. I figured out they'd not been accustomed to being in a group and listening if it wasn't directed specifically to them, etc. But......this still gets my husband to this day: after all the work we did, time it took to host, snacks we provided, hospitality etc. the moms packed up their kids and thanked only the mom who originally called us to do this. We were treated as if invisible, disposable, or maybe carnival personnel....left a totally rude and self-serving impression of themselves with us.
Maybe they took offense to the fact that I teach in a small public school, and am thus Not Correct in my choices. But anyhow, your post leaves me with the same feeling - if you ask to visit, you are on someone's property, they have every right to protect you and yours from illness or getting nipped or whatever - liability as was stated above.
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10/15/08, 07:30 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: SW Michigan
Posts: 16,408
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And here I thought we had a funny experience yesterday.......
I realize all their insurance liabilities. If insurance is so picky, why do it at all? After all this place's work and money, the kids didn't learn a thing about farming.
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10/15/08, 07:53 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: PA
Posts: 5,425
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Callieslamb
And here I thought we had a funny experience yesterday.......
I realize all their insurance liabilities. If insurance is so picky, why do it at all? After all this place's work and money, the kids didn't learn a thing about farming.
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Just as a for instance.... What is the most dangerous work enviroment? One where children live and play?
Yup, a farm. You have large animals that can easily kill or mame. Machinery that isn't always safe. Feed or hay stacks can fall over. The threats to life and limb are limitless. So is the liability.
Heck, if you bring people on to your land and they trip on a stone, stick, or even themselves you are responsible. I for one would never allow folks to come and "see". Even if it's free you have a fair amout of legal risk.
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10/15/08, 09:00 AM
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wife,mom,taxi driver,cook
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Near Charlotte NC
Posts: 6,677
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WeaverRose
OK, two things: didn't you hear about the daycare in Florida where a toddler died from salmonella (?) after being at a petting zoo and not washing his hands before eating?
A terrible tragedy - so farms are a lot more cautious about children touching things, to protect the children. Farm kids build up a natural immunity to all the "germs" out there, but town kids don't have that and can get sick.
Second: my hubby and I were asked to host a homeschool group, kids and moms, so they could learn about the farm. We spent three weeks getting things kid-friendly, putting in paths and putting up dividers in the barn, so they could see the sheep/goats, but not step in you-know-what, fixing up the garden and plants with labels, generally working to make it a great and informative visit. The kids were unable to listen as a group, kept interupting when I tried to explain what they were seeing (I'm a teacher, so presenting info is what I do, to all ages), ran into the road (?!?!?), and had a micro-second attention span. I figured out they'd not been accustomed to being in a group and listening if it wasn't directed specifically to them, etc. But......this still gets my husband to this day: after all the work we did, time it took to host, snacks we provided, hospitality etc. the moms packed up their kids and thanked only the mom who originally called us to do this. We were treated as if invisible, disposable, or maybe carnival personnel....left a totally rude and self-serving impression of themselves with us.
Maybe they took offense to the fact that I teach in a small public school, and am thus Not Correct in my choices. But anyhow, your post leaves me with the same feeling - if you ask to visit, you are on someone's property, they have every right to protect you and yours from illness or getting nipped or whatever - liability as was stated above.
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I'm really sorry you were treated that way! We've always tried to send thank you notes afterwards for things like this that we've done. Our group even encourages it.
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10/15/08, 10:01 AM
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aka RamblinRoseRanc :)
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Morristown, TN
Posts: 5,066
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This saddens me. I understand about liabilities, sure. Especially after this past Monday spent with a bunch of citified (in the country) soccer moms. (no disrespect intended, but come on- capris and flip flops at a safari park?)
Both my youngest children and I were field tripping this past Monday at a wildlife safari park. We sat in wagons (or in my group's case- we were ballast in the bed of the truck!) and rode through 200 acres of forestland- populated by several types of goats and deer, zebra, bison, water buffalo, big birds, llamas, watusi cattle and we had an absolute BALL. I think I enjoyed it more than the kids- after all, how many adults can say they've stroked a bison's sandpapery tongue, hugged a zebra, rubbed the soft nose of a big eyed deer?
It's sad that the farm has to be so sanitized because common sense isn't so common any longer.
__________________
" It's better to ride even if you get thrown, than to wind up just wishin' ya had."
Chris Ledoux 
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10/15/08, 03:06 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Missouri
Posts: 295
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I have a friend in TX that teaches 4 kids in a one room school house type setting. They took a week long trip to Missouri to visit St. Louis attractions, work at a Walnut Farm (they actually picked up black walnuts for a few days), and spent an evening at our farm learning about red wattle hogs, dexter cows, rotational grazing, etc.
They were very well behaved and sent a thank you letter from each one.
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