Old MacDonald had a farm. And on that farm he had a group of
teens! This past Saturday the South East Consortium Teen Adventure group
journeyed to Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture.
Stone Barns is a working farm, greenhouse, world class
restaurant and is home to many animals including amber laying hens, honeybees,
some rowdy pigs, some mean looking geese, plus many more.
After lunch under some large maple trees the group started
exploring the grounds. It was a perfect day for a ramble through the fields and
a gander at some naying , snorting, clucking and baying farm animals.
The teens got up close to some new born lambs but not close
enough to touch. The lambs were protected by some impressive (and rather
intimidating) Great Pyrenees’. The four-legged guardians are raised with the
flock so they identify with the sheep as family. Just another part of the farm
life.
On the grounds was a large green house with a retractable
roof. Inside the greenhouse the crew got to see where the vegetables on their
plates at night come from. The seemingly endless rows of cabbage, mustard,
lettuce, cilantro and chard made you feel healthier by just looking at it!
The teens were able to do a little creative farm engineering
when they grabbed some markers and construction paper to create their own
vegetable-fruit creation. We saw an apple carrot and a strawberry plum. The
delicious day dreamed dishes were pinned up by a farm staff member for all to
see.
What is a trip to a farm without a hike around the grounds?
The teens tied their boots up tight and dug into the shaded winding trail. The route
took us past idyllic streams and a two grazing fields where we saw cows and a
majestic horse. We finished our trip with a light snack and some water.
We were one exhausted group when we plopped into our seats
for the bus ride home. Sunshine, friends, exercise and nature, what better way
to spend a Saturday?
