But when people learn we live on a farm, they are always fascinated and often ask if they can bring their kids to visit. And we are happy to oblige. Walking around with other Moms who just hope that their kids can retain some knowledge about where food actually comes from and/or the family's long-gone agricultural roots, I realize how great I have it.
Today we hosted some very cute kids whose parents (and grandparents, aunts and uncles) we knew when we were kids. They live in our largely rural community but still were not familiar with raising pigs or milking cows. Morgan helped her new friend look for a crawdad.
There's nothing like seeing a child realize that the farm mommies and babies they see in books and the animal noises they practice as a game are REAL. 
Our farm is a lot more National Geographic (real, gritty) than Disney (clean, perfect) but our guests never fail to help me see the genuine, natural goodness of farm life and increasingly, the rareness.
How many times have we said to the locals you are so lucky to live here. And like anyone else who lives in a tourist destination, it always helps to see things through the eyes of our visitors who in our case never fail to say what a great place to raise kids. Amen.
Looking for the real and authentic is why people visit farms like yours! I have a rural business that tourists visit, and I am amazed each year when children tell me about seeing their first cow ever as their family drives the country roads. Saddest though is when a child is crying and won't get out of the family car because our golden retriever with the wagging tail trying to greet them on the front porch is too scary.
ReplyDelete