FREEPORT – A cold winter breeze blew through the Wishcamper Education Barn at Wolfe’s Neck Center on Saturday morning, rustling the feathers of the barn’s resident chickens.
Nearby, a flock of sheep huddled together to keep warm.
But the cold didn’t stop Noah Randall and his family from visiting the farm for a morning of barn chores.
“The kids just love to see the animals,” Randall said. “It’s fun to help feed them.”
Randall and his family have visited the Freeport center several times for its morning chores program, which gives young children the opportunity to feed barn animals and get a taste of farm life.
It’s a great family activity, Randall said. The kids love the animals, and the adults enjoy walking the center’s nature trails.
“It’s just an amazing, free resource,” he said. “There aren’t many things you can do with kids without paying a bunch.”
Tad Olsen of Pownall often brings his young daughter Juniper to the barn.
She enjoys seeing the animals and playing at the farm, Olsen said, and he hopes she is learning a little bit about farm life.
“When she gets older, it’ll be fun for her to go to some of the classes,” he said.
Even as an adult, Olsen said he learns something new every time he visits.
“I don’t know anything about farming, so when we come here, it’s fun for all of us to see it,” he said.
Wolfe’s Neck Center offers community events beyond morning chores at the barn, including farmyard storytime and children’s classes like butter making and wool crafting.
But even without classes, Randall said the center simply has “a good mix” of things to do with young kids.
“They’re always learning when they’re here and outside,” he said.
