Virginia is for Kids!

“The most Udderly Amazing Adventure for All Ages”

A new adventure in agriculture!  Join the Leonard family, at their working dairy farm to visit the animals, walk through the corn (during maze season) and learn about modern farming techniques.  They will be glad to show you how they take care of the 300 cows that produce the milk in your fridge.

Just about an hour from Northern Virginia you can be riding a hay wagon around the farm and learning first hand about cow life from baby calves to the adult dairy cows that are producing “nature’s most nearly perfect” food.  They are proud to show you their herd of 300 Holstein cows and some of the farm equipment they use to farm 1800 acres in beautiful Fauquier County.  To find out more about what’s going on at the farm, visit the COWLENDAR on their website!

Can’t make it out on the weekend?
Farm Tours can be schedule for groups of 15 or more on days that we are not open to the general public by emailing: tours@cows-n-corn.com or calling 540-439-4806.

Saturday, August 29, 2009, The Great Dismal Swamp in Suffolk will celebrate it’s 35 Anniversary with a day filled with events and activities.

This free event will feature musical performances, educational exhibits, tours, food and souvenirs.

A couple of important tips from the Great Dismal Swamp website:

• Dress appropriately for summer walks. Bring plenty of liquids. You will also need insect repellant.Insects are most troublesome very early and very late in the day.Wear light colored clothing that limits exposed skin. Sturdy trail shoes are best on the dirt roads.

•For more information, please call Deloras Freeman, Visitor Services Specialist, at the refuge headquarters. Business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. (757) 986-3705.

Also, the Friends of Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge have developed a new Junior Refuge Manager Program, teaching young people about wildlife, habitats, and the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.

The Friends developed an Activity Book for kids to complete in order to earn their Junior Refuge Manager badge. Activity topics in the book include frogs, snakes, turtles, invertebrates, birds, and optics (magnifying glass, binoculars. Volunteers equipped with scopes, binoculars, magnifying glasses and field guides are available to assist the young aspiring Junior Refuge Managers. Upon completion and certification of the guide each child is awarded an official Junior Refuge Manager badge, a Junior Refuge Manager certificate, and a $5.00 coupon to be used towards the purchase of a field guide from the Friends Bookstore. The program is geared to children between the ages of 5 and 13 and completing the Activity Book requires at least two visits to the Refuge.

By Casey Williams

Have you had sticker shock lately at the produce prices in the grocery store?  Have you seen the prices of blueberries lately even though they are “in season”?

In the spirit of going green, spending more time with family and supporting the local farmers and economy, why not try picking your own?

My favorite site for finding pick your own produce is:  Pickyourown.org.  The site is filled with not only places to pick all over the world, but also tips for preserving and canning your harvest.  Thanks to this site, we have been able to enjoy family-time throughout Virginia picking our own fruits and vegetables.

Best of all….KIDS LOVE IT!  Here are a few tips to make your pick-your-own trip a success with the kids:

1. Try to pick early in the morning.  It’s not too hot nor too crowded.
2. Cover the kids with bug spray and sunscreen before going.
3. Some pick-your-own farms offer containers, some don’t.  Bring a sturdy plastic bucket for the kids to use and hopefully, that will avoid any spills and tears.
4. Let them eat as they pick!  Ask if the farm uses pesticides and if not, let the kids indulge.
5. Plan ahead what to do with the harvest and let the kids help.  Some items, such as blueberries, can be put in plastic bags and frozen for later.  Something as simple as a scoop of vanilla ice cream with “their berries” on it can make a child light up with excitement.
6. Teach the kids what vitamins are in which foods.  They love this stuff!  Before you know it, they will be telling you how they can see better because they ate 3 carrots or that they grew because they ate an apple.

Here is a list from the Pickyourown.org site of the farms in Virginia:  http://pickyourown.org/VA.htm

The Virginia is for Lovers site is featuring travel in honor of Presidents – one of my favorite topics.  Turns out, there are many places in Virginia to learn about Thomas Jefferson besides Monticello!