We went on a mini field trip to Gramen Farm with one of our homeschool groups on Thursday, May 3, 2012. This was not part of any official tour but a drop by to see all it has to offer. They have goats, cows and chickens and the kids can see a working dairy farm being run. Plus, they sell a variety of fresh, natural foods. It is quite informative and a great way to spend an hour or two for free. However, you may want to bring a cooler and some money to stock up on some of the products they have for sale in their store.
The staff at Gramen Farm was friendly and helpful. When they found out we were all together they pulled together a little impromptu tour and information session for us. They discussed the health benefits of the foods and other products they sell. They gave us information on how the animals are raised and the differences between the fresh, natural products and what we may find in a grocery store. They gave us a lot of specific information about each of the items they offer. We also even got to taste the goat milk and for many it was their first time trying some.
This bit was quite informative and educational – ideal for grownups and older kids. The value of this was lost on the younger ones, though. However, everyone was enraptured by the baby goats and spent a good deal of time petting and feeding them. The older goats, chickens, roosters and cows got some attention also but not nearly as much as the baby goats. A bonus was when the kids (the human ones) discovered a litter of puppies beneath a trailer. Most were a tad shy but one brave puppy ventured out to get some petting.
Keep in mind that this is not a farm designed for large groups and filled with entertaining stations for kids to enjoy. It is a real, working, family-run farm that is open to the public. You will likely not want to spend all day there but they do allow you to go everywhere you want as long as you close the gate behind you when entering a pen. This alone is ample entertainment and education for all ages.
I am hoping to set up a bit of a more formal tour of the grounds for my other homeschool group to enjoy. We will see how that goes if it can be pulled off but I will try to work with them on preparing some age appropriate information. However, free admission, friendly and helpful staff, hands on education and amazingly fresh products make a trip well worth it. If you have some time to spare and need an idea of where to go, consider Gramen Farm.
Gramen Farm is located at 20158 Bauer Hockley Rd and can be found online at http://gramenfarm.com/. They are open to the public 8 am to 6 pm, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm on Saturday and Sunday from noon to five pm. They accept credit cards and it advised to bring a cooler for storing your items. Check them out with your kids and make sure you frequent the farm for your fresh dairy, meat and healthcare products.
