Open Farm Week: Fun for Kids!

For seven days in August (15^th – 21^st), farms around Vermont open up their doors to the public for a unique on-farm experience. With almost 100 farms hosting events during open farm week, there’s tons going on! With experiences like hay rides, scavenger hunts, animal exhibitions and farm tours, this is a fun and playful way to engage your kids in Vermont’s food system, and they’ll likely learn something along the way. Check out all the family-friendly events below, and hopefully we’ll see you during Open Farm Week!

Addison County

Treleven Farm

• Treleven Farm is open to the public from Monday to Thursday of Open Farm Week. They invite you to explore the farm and forest with their self-guided trails, or to enjoy family friendly activities on Wednesday morning!
• Monday-Thursday, August 15^th – 18^th

Agricola Farm

• Come to the farm during Open Farm Week! Farm Stand open 8am – 8pm. Self-guided farm activities for children with an adult 11am – 2pm. Farm-made Italian baked goods ready to eat 8am-8pm.
• Open every day of Open Farm Week EXCEPT THURSDAY

Pranzi in Fattoria

• Free Farm Tour 11:00 – 11:30 followed by an Italian style farm lunch. Family style lunch that begins at 11:30 and goes till 2pm. Come and enjoy food prepared by Chef Julia Clancy and your farmers Ale and Stefano.
• Sunday, August 21^st

Kimball Brook Farm

• We will offer hay rides, farm tours, petting zoo, a farm market, live entertainment, and a Fresh Supper a la carte…much of which will be sourced right here on the farm!
• Friday, August 19^th

Bennington County

Dorset Farmers’ Market

• Visit produce, dairy, and grass-fed meats and poultry vendors. We’ll have a super fun scavenger hunt for kids, lots of great prepared foods for breakfast, brunch and lunch!
• Saturday, August 20^th

Merck Forest & Farmland Center

Farm Tour for Children

• We have designed a tour with farm-related activities and games for youngsters. They’ll meet the flocks, view the piggies and check out the chickens! $2.50 per child
• Monday, August 15^th

Farrier’s Demonstration

• Fern and Arch, our draft horses, need new shoes. The blacksmith will shoe one horse in the morning, one in the afternoon. It’s a fascinating demonstration of an old-time skill. Free
• Wednesday, August 17^th

Fleece Skirting Demonstration

• Try your hand at skirting (or cleaning) a sheep’s fleece in preparation for spinning it into yarn!
• Wednesday, August 18^th

Farm Chores for Children

• This hands-on/hands-dirty workshop is designed to introduce your children ages 3 and up to simple farm routines and products, and to meet our animals under expert supervision. Please Pre-Register early, because participation is limited | $2.50 per person
• Thursday, August 18^th

Celebrate Your Farmer Pizza Party

• Join NOFA-VT for farm-fresh pizza and a celebration of Merck Farm and Forest, raising pastured pork, grass-fed lamb and maple syrup. Come and enjoy dinner baked in NOFA-VT’s wood-fired pizza oven, followed by a farm tour. | Suggested donation: $10 per person.
• Thursday, August 18^th

Caledonia County

Hardwick Farmers’ Market

• Shopping from vendors selling local foods and crafts, live music, Power of Produce (POP) Club and story time for kids, prepared foods available.
• Friday, August 19^th

St. J ALFA Community Farm Dinner

• Enjoy an evening of tasty community farm, family fun! Enjoy grilled pizzas (by donation) that showcase the wonderful farm bounty, donated artisan cheeses and other toppings. Bring your own non-alcoholic beverages and take a walk through the gardens!
• Friday, August 19^th

Chittenden County

Bread & Butter Farm

Burger Night

• Live music featuring The Zeichner’s – serving our grass-fed burgers, salads, veggie burgers, hotdogs, drinks and desserts!
• Friday, August 19^th

North Williston Cattle Company

• Come watch our herd of 240 Holstein cows being milked by robots, pet the baby calves and learn how a mid-size family dairy farm operates.
• Monday-Friday, August 15^th-19^th

Shelburne Farms

Moonlit Campfire Animal Defenses

• Enjoy sitting around a campfire on a warm summer evening, fun activities, s’mores, and a visit from live Outreach for Earth Stewardship raptors. Member: $5/person, Non-member: $6/person
• Monday, August 15^th

Sun to Cheese Tour

• Where does the story begin with our delicious Farmhouse Cheddar Cheese? Come find out! We will take you on a behind-the-scenes tour to discover the magic of cheesemaking and how its delicious taste starts way before the milk hits the cheesemaking vat. We will visit the dairy, meet the cows that make the milk, find out exactly how milk turns into cheese, and give you a sampling of our cheeses. Price is $18/person, includes a block of cheese.
• Wednesday, August 17^th

Winooski Farmers’ Market

• Vermont’s finest local produce, farm goods, artisan crafts, local prepared foods, musical entertainment and a fun interactive kid’s program, the Power of Produce (POP) Club. Set directly in front of the Champlain Mill along the banks of the Winooski River, the Farmers Market is located in the heart of the downtown.
• Sunday, August 21^st

Essex County

The Lunchbox’s On Farm Community Lunch with Clyde River Farm

• Green Mountain Farm-to-School (GMFTS) and Clyde River Farm are teaming up to open Clyde River Farm to the community with a day of food and fun activities. A free meal featuring local produce from Clyde River Farm will be served by the GMFTS’ Lunchbox food truck.
• Saturday, August 20^th

Village Farm of Island Pond

• Visit Village Farm of Island Pond and enjoy wagon rides, sheep dog demonstrations, horse training demonstrations and more! Upper Kingdom Food Access will join the event at the Island Pond Community Garden with prepared samples and recipes for in-season garden produce. Come join us for a delicious taste of Summer!
• Saturday, August 20^th

Grand Isle

Hackett’s Orchard

• Take a wagon ride through the orchard and learn about apple growing; there will be a story trail, scavenger hunt and apple quiz.
• Open every day of Open Farm Week!

Hall Home Place & Hall’s Orchard

• Hall Home Place and Hall’s Orchard invite you to visit this historic property that has been in the Hall family since the 1790’s. Tour the grounds, count the fossils and purchase specialty local products. The café and tasting room are open daily with games for all ages.
• Open every day of Open Farm Week

Two Black Sheep Farm

• Two Black Sheep Farm invites you to visit our vegetable operation here in Grand Isle County. Take a tour of our farm, located here since 1829. We’ll show you our operation, meet the animals here, and finish your visit with complimentary food and beverage. Kid friendly.
• Saturday, August 20^th

Lamoille County

High Mowing Organic Seeds

• A unique opportunity to visit the High Mowing Organic Seeds extensive Trials Fields and celebrate the vibrant local food culture of the Northeast Kingdom. This event includes workshops, tours, kid’s activities, snack’s and tastings. Please note that advanced registration is required.
• Sunday, August 21^st

Jeffersonville Farmers and Artisan Market

• Live Music, tokens for the kids to purchase produce, market-wide specials and a market basket giveaway.
• Wednesday, August 17^th

Valley Dream Farm

• Certified Organic Produce Farm. We have a retail farm stand, Kid-friendly activities and snacks!
• Tuesday-Sunday, August 16^th – 21^st

Orleans County

Jed’s Maple Products

• A Certified Organic Maple Farm, we invite you to visit our Family Maple Museum, eco-friendly sugarhouse and more during Open Farm Week! Guided tours of how we used to make maple syrup compared to how we make it now. Kid-Friendly activities, tastings, tours and more!
• Open every day of Open Farm Week EXCEPT SATURDAY!

Midsummer Maple Music

• Midsummer Maple Music Series featuring the Dandy Gandys, join us for an evening of fun, family and friendship. Admission is canned goods for the local food shelf.
• Thursday, August 18^th

Craftsbury Farmers Market

• You will find farmers and vendors offering locally made cheeses, meats, baked goods, fresh vegetables, prepared foods, wool and alpaca fiber yarns, crafts, artwork…and free family-friendly entertainment!
• Saturday, August 20^th

Log Cabin Farm Alpacas

• Enjoy a hands-on tours, meeting the herd of 40+ alpacas, learning about the rich history of these lovely animals, fleece qualities and characteristics!
• Friday – Sunday, August 19^th -21^st

Hollandeer Farm

• Hollandeer Farm invites you for an informational tour of our facilities via cart/tractor ride with educational information on deer farming. Farm store will be open.
• Tuesday, August 16^th

The Vermont Reindeer Farm

• Tour the only Reindeer Farm in the State of Vermont! Visit the many farm animals, have fun at the craft station, walk the nature trail and “reindeer games” area. Enjoy free samples of Cabot cheese & Kingdom Creamery ice cream!
• Saturday, August 20^th

Washington County

Ananda Gardens

• Ananda Gardens welcomes you to our first open family farm day. This is our first year in Montpelier and we are excited to invite visitors to learn more about our sustainable and intensive growing practices. There will be activities for the whole family.
• Saturday, August 20^th

The Barn Yard

• The Barn Yard is a small diversified family farm that takes an organic and whole farm approach in raising high-quality vegetables and animals for year round production and root storage. Join us for a farm tour, kid’s scavenger hunt and a community potluck dinner.
• Friday, August 19^th

Windham County

Adam’s Farm

• Adams Farm welcomes you every day during Open Farm Week! Visit our wide variety of friendly farm animals. Join us for paintball in our sheep pastures, or for a guided trail ride on our docile horses. Wagon rides around the perimeter of the farm depart daily. Paintball and trail rides require reservations.
• Open every day of Open Farm Week

Deer Ridge Farm

• Visit Deer Ridge Farm and learn about flower, berry, and vegetable production. Tour the flower fields with over 100 varieties of flowers. Observe honey bees in action. Sample maple syrup and honey. Taste test a variety of tomatoes.
• Thursday & Sunday, August 18^th & 21^st

Dwight Miller Orchards

• Dwight Miller Orchards invites you onto our farm for Pick-Your-Own Organic Blueberries, every day during Open Farm Week!
• Open every day of Open Farm Week

West River Farmers Market

• Come spend some time under the trees on the beautiful West River. We have 45 farmers, food producers and artisans offering a bounty of the best of Vermont. We happily accept EBT and Debit cards. Kindly leave your dogs at home.
• Saturday, August 20^th

Windsor County

Feast & Field Market

• Feast and Field Market is a unique farm-based market set in the back fields of an old dairy farm. 4:30-7:30 farmers market, 4:30-6 kids activities, 5:30-7:30 Bessette Quartet with Doug Perkins.
• Thursday, August 18^th

Kiss the Cow Farm

• Come visit Kiss the Cow Farm during Vermont Open Farm Week! Tours of the farm include: meet the calves, check out the chickens and collect eggs, and dance with the ducks. There is also a scheduled milking the herd program. We will be serving our own farmstead ice cream as well (for a small cost).
• Saturday & Sunday, August 20^th & 21^st

Luna Bleu Farm

• Luna Bleu Farm invites you to a Sunday full of fun! Tim will fire up the pizza oven, Suzanne and the crew will give farm tours and lead family friendly farm activates and games.
• Sunday, August 21^st

Norwich Farmers’ Market

• Come join us for fresh air and live music and over 50 vendors in our market. Welcome the new vendors and catch up with the regulars. EBT and Debit accepted!
• Saturday, August 20^th

One Chicken at a Time Farm

• One Chicken at a Time Farm is a diversified farm. Our main attraction is our 30 friendly goats, they love to run and play. We have a great view for a walk or picnic in the fields. Haying is also something we will be doing. Come pick some veggies from the gardens or some flowers. You never know what’s going to happen on this busy farm!
• Open every day of Open Farm Week

Parris Hill Farm Alpacas and The AlpacArt Studio

• Enjoy an informal alpaca farm visit. We will be available to answer your questions about the history, care and the beautiful fleece produced by these charming animals. Visit our shop, The AlpacArt Studio, to see and purchase the many items made from fine alpaca fleece. They include yarn, apparel, accessories and toys.
• Saturday & Sunday, August 20^th & 21^st

Source: Dig in VT Trails