Early Morning Farm Time

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As I step out my door at 6:30 in the morning, with my large cup of coffee in hand, I hear the faint voices of kids making their way across the grounds to visit our mini farm in the corner of camp. They arrive cold yet excited, some in sweat shirts, some in shorts. At this hour in the morning one would think tweens and teens would want to be in bed, but instead they are here to meet our animals. Immediately my husband and I are asked, “Where are the goats?” or “I wanna see the pigs!”

Kris and I work at a camp and conference center and one of the programs the camp hosts is an outdoor education program. Schools will bring their students to experience a program that involves hands on interaction with everything from liquid nitrogen to electronics to composting and goat milking. As part of that program, we offer an optional “Early Morning Farm Time” in which students can take part in caring for the livestock.

First, we walk them to the poultry where we let out and feed the chickens and turkey. Amazed by how soft the hens are, the kids can’t resist some chicken cuddle time. The turkey typically has multiple hands petting her simultaneously, so she sits and enjoys the attention.

Then we make our way over to the hogs. A couple kids pour breakfast into the squealing pigs’ bowls and immediately the piggies start to chow down. I’m amazed at how fascinated kids are with the pigs. Their sound of aliveness fills the air when they scratch the pigs’ bellies, hug them, talk to them, and pose for group photos. We tell them how the pig works for us and the special abilities God gave it.

Then it’s down to the goat pen! On Outdoor Ed mornings we may have a few or as many as forty kids in the pen all at once. It never bothers the goats though, as they are used to being around people and absolutely love the attention. Even before entering the pen, kids start to say how cute the goats are and pick out their favorite. Once surrounded by short humans, the petting begins and our goats all receive new names because the kids can’t resist calling them things like “Oreo” or “Prince”. Buddy, the kid goat, is always a favorite because he’s small and adorable and knows how to use it. While the girls often take selfies and brush the goats, the boys cheer as they watch the male goats challenge and head butt each other.

When it’s time to milk our doe, the kids gather around the milking stand with attentiveness. Here, we teach them where milk comes from, store-bought vs. farm fresh, and every person is given a chance to milk the goat. Some will even open their mouths for a squirt of the freshest milk they can get.

For many, this is a new experience. Some have never held a chicken, pet a turkey, scratched a pig, milked a goat, or taken goat selfies. But today, with smiles ear to ear, they venture into being farmers for the morning and walk away with an appreciation for the care of God’s creatures.