"...Farm
vacations -- often
called 'haycations'
-- give people a
break from the
bustle of city life,
and a chance to pack
up the kids and
enjoy a down-home
night or two out on
a farm.
Pennsylvania,
California and
Vermont lead the
nation in 'haycation'
destinations,
according to the
database at
FarmStayUS.com.
Pennsylvania even
has its own
organization for
haycations: the
Pennsylvania Farm
Vacation
Association.
Southwestern
Pennsylvania farms
interviewed report
that visitors come
in from all over the
country, sometimes
for less than $100
per night.
'I
think the scenery
has a lot to do with
it,' says Eric
Cowden. He is the
marketing manager
for fairs and
agritourism for the
Pennsylvania
Department of
Agriculture. 'And we
are such a
short-distance drive
from over half of
the U.S.
population."'The
family farm has
become rarer over
the years, Cowden
says, and guests
have a great
opportunity to
experience one
through a haycation
and learn a lot
about agriculture.
'They are certainly
wanting to have
their children and
themselves ...
experience what the
generation before
them experienced,'
he says.
'I
think that the farm
stay gives the
nonagricultural
public an
appreciation for
their food and
fiber, and where it
comes from,' Cowden
says.
Along with the nice
escape into the
countryside, taking
a farm vacation
educates visitors,
says Marcy Tudor.
She is one of the
owners of
Weatherbury Farm,
which raises cows
and sheep for meat
in Avella,
Washington County.
'Our whole mission
here is to educate
folks about farms
and agriculture and
where their food
comes from,' she
says. 'It's amazing
how many people,
especially children,
think their eggs
come in Styrofoam
containers at the
supermarket.'
About 95 percent of
the guests at
Weatherbury Farm are
families, including
grandparents, and
they can stay at the
farm on Thursday,
Friday and Saturday
nights during June,
July and August,
Tudor says. Guests
stay in a barn that
has been converted
into a house.
(Weatherbury note:
actually three two
story town houses).
The haycations here
offer mostly
unstructured time
for guests to escape
and relax, although
they help with some
farm chores -- like
pumping water,
feeding the goats
and collecting
chicken eggs --
after a hearty,
home-grown breakfast
with Weatherbury
chicken eggs, and
grains and
vegetables from the
fields.
'I
think it's great for
children,' says
Tudor, whose
grandmother lived on
a farm. 'Most of
them have never seen
a farm animal up
close and personal.
... It's just a
wonderful experience
to be out in the
country and hear the
chickens and sheep
and cows.'... "
(Weatherbury
note: Chores
happen daily after
breakfast and last
about an hour.
After chores families can enjoy life on
the farm. Many
families have fun
watching (from a
distance, of course)
Farmer Dale & Farmer
Nigel at work in the
fields. Or sometimes
(more often than we
like), they may be
working on keeping
our farm equipment
in good running
order. Some
families like to get
their hands dirty
and help Marcy weed
the garden! Some
families
choose to also visit
nearby attractions during their stay. Most
families, however, enjoy the opportunity to kick back and relax on the farm and
enjoy life in the slow lane.
Children are invited
to participate in
our
Weatherbury Farm
Kids Program)
