“What people do not understand, they do not value; what they do not value, they will not protect, and what they do not protect, they will lose”__ Charles Jordan

We are accepting reservations for field trips and farm tours during the period of April 15 -October 31, 2011.

These days, most children (as well as some adults) have little or no knowledge about where their food ‘truly’ comes from. Visiting farms is one of the most tangible ways to reconnect children and youth with agriculture, coaching a new generation’s interactions with the food system, health and life and living.

Visiting a farm can inspire young people to make healthier food choices that support farm communities. Field trip visitors learn about the value of farming, experiencing first-hand the production of food from seed to table. Our farm tours are also a great place to bring school subjects such as science, math, language, arts and nutrition to life through engaging hands-on activities.

We are a very relaxed farm, although our day starts early with the feeding and caring of the animals to doing chores. Somewhere along the day, we find one another for ‘break time’ on the old farm porch.

Everyone has jobs to do or get done. Either planting seeds, caring for them daily, weeding, harvesting, canning, cooking meals, mending fences, watering cattle and critters, mowing, cleaning, shoveling the manure, turning the compost, crafting, mending, visiting, re-building, and learning!...we do it all.

WE are the caretakers of this land....and we care for it as if it was our child, with tender loving care.

We WELCOME YOU ALL...of all ages or groups.

Each tour lasts about three hours (with about an hour for lunch and relaxation).

It is advisable that you wear comfortable shoes,[NO sandles or open toed shoes] as you will be doing a lot of walking. Some things can get pretty deep. Bring a water bottle and dress for the whether because you will have the FUN!

It is also advisable that ‘clothes’ need NOT be pretty or fancy here. Old jeans or ‘grubbers' will do just fine here on the farm. You will want to be comfortable.

A ‘bring your own ‘bagged lunch’ time is included with the tour. We provide juice, milk as well an a fruit or vegetable of the season from the garden whenever possible.

The GARDEN AREAS. You will visit the garden and see all the wonderful garden vegetables growing, and learn how it’s all planted. Some will be straw gardening, some will be perma-gardening.You will learn why we plant certain things next to other things for ‘bug’ reasons. You may see green beans growing up on corn stalks or radishes growing with the carrots or beets.You may even see ‘square’ gardening or something growing in a bail of hay.

Our ANIMAL FRIENDS are ready for you to meet, greet and treat!! Fancy chickens, layer hens, roosters, miniature donkeys, goats, lambs, llamas, rabbits, ducks, turkeys, bunnies, kitties!

Children can go into the chicken coop and gather eggs. We usually leave the eggs when we know guests are coming (especially the young children).

Our guests can also go into the turkey/peacock run area. Our main farm family turkey’s (Fritz, Jake and Stella) are people friendly and love, love, love treats.

Gloria operates the little ‘hatchery’ so year ‘round we should have baby chicks or eggs in the incubators. The children will have fun holding the baby chicks, ducks, turkey’s and peacocks, or, watching eggs hatch. During the warmer weather, we’ll have the incubators and warming houses out side on the porch. We also sell the young hatchlings.

Gary is in charge of ‘poop control’ so in addition to his full-time outside job, he cleans out the pens. The ‘poop’  is stacked, aged and used for fertilizer in the gardens. Nothing goes to waste on the farm.

You may also see a few chickens running around freely or in a chicken tractor. They help maintain the bug population! For  them, that’s like eating steak!

We have two Llama’s (Burt and Ernie) who will stand pretty for our guests and sometimes come over to the fence area if we offer them a ‘yummy’ treat of corn and molasses. Their main job is to be the ‘watchers’ and ‘protectors’ of un-welcome wild critters, such as coyotes.

We have two (2) main farm pigs (Ms Piggy and Ms Oink). Their purpose is for breeding and having little piglets in the future. They also love treats of ALL kinds, especially household ‘slop’  (their favorite!). We try to have a bucket of ‘slop’ for our guests to feed to them. They will almost SMILE with delight of such grub!
 
The bunnies (Uno, Dos, Tres, Quato, and Sinko) are our main bunnies. Hopefully, we should have plenty of baby bunny’s year long. We also sell the baby bunnies.

The orphan LAMB or two should arrive this spring (2012) and I’ll be bottle feeding her for about one month… she will live in our home in a dog crate during that time AND wear a diapers (Pamper) when outside the crate. Her name will be Esabelle and Eddie. After that, they will go out to the barn and be near the Llama’s.

The calves will be bottle fed for awhile in the barn and then will go out to the pasture later in the spring.

Each guest will gets an ice cream cone full of feed for the animals. Additional cones are .25 cents. We usually try to also have a stack of weeds and grasses for the children to feed to the animals.

A Educational Experience

Spring tours offer a ‘Plant a vegetable or flower seed’ time in the greenhouse. We use egg cartons for the children’s plantings.  That way, they can plant a dozen different plants if they desire. Make your soil mixture, select a seed or a few…. plant it, water it, and take it home, watch it sprout and grow, then replant your plants it in your own yard or garden.

The greenhouse is where we start most seeding's. We call it ‘nature’s laboratory’.It’s a very ‘peaceful’ place… We LOVE to play in the dirt!

During the growing season, our guests will see all sorts of plants and vegetables growing at various stages, several flowers blooming and all kinds of weeds. We just LOVE our weeds too! Some are medicinal, some are used for salads and most are given to our critters. They are full of valuable nutrients. Mother Nature makes a fine salad.

The BUTTERFLY garden is a ‘work in progress’. Flowers and weeds are planted specifically to attract butterfly’s as well as the birds. We like it when our guests can enjoy the sights, sounds and feel of nature. So, sit a spell, enjoy the fragrance, the beauty of the flowers and the butterfly’s.

We have several species of BIRDS that come and go with the seasons. Often, it is so quite down here in the valley that you can hear each bird’s song…IF you listen. The spring begins with the Robins and soon after the Starlings.

WALKS IN THE WOOD LOT is an EXTRA special afternoon tour. We have a 40 acre wood lot up on the hill that is home to all the wild plants, apple trees, nut trees, foliage, and wild life. It’s a true nature walk complete with a natural creek. The only way to get to the wood lot is through the pasture.

FALL TOURS offer each guest a Pumpkin, squash of gourd to take home! The Indian corn is also ready. End of harvest time is bustling about and the critters are getting the last of the weed  and garden left overs. It’s the wind down time of the season.

Guests on all tours will learn about the soil, mulching, weeding,  seed savings, maintenance of the gardens, and where your food comes from.

Learn about the making of ‘compost’. What goes into it and what ‘does not’. What it is used for.
Guests will also be able to turn the compost over! IF you want.

And? where does all that animal ‘poop’ go! (ever wonder?) What comes out of our animals butts is a process of the goodness of the food that goes in! Learn all about it... It’s all part of the farm and the foods you eat!

What are the ‘predictors' on the farm? Learn about them and how we handle them, sometimes creatively!

Guests will also learn about the pests of the gardens as well as the ‘beneficial bugs and worms and bees’.

Learn about our homemade canned vegetables, fruits ,jams and meats, the cost savings, quality and satisfaction of ‘making ‘your own!

You can also see some of Gloria’s hand made crocheted rag rugs... Often, you’ll be able to a stitch or two!!

Guests will see, feel and taste the garden delights and learn about the vegetables of  in each season. Learn about what ‘nutrients’ support your health it’s values.You will learn about the importance of our poly culture ways of growing our vegetables.

You will also see and learn about the birds and butterflies and how they benefit our environment.

The day or duration will end with a question and answer period....wind down time, and view of the farm valley. BUT, we always encourage YOU to ask questions along the tour as well. REMEMBER, we are a very relaxed farm.

AND...A COUNTRY HUG to each visitor!

We HOPE to see you all SOON!

Gary & Gloria Roohr-Hyzer
Hyzer’s Green Acres