"Children do not need to be made to learn about the world, or shown how. They want to, and they know how." -John Holt

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Owen's Farm

Though our own home is farm-like enough already, the kids were still eager to join up with a huge group of LEAPers at Owen's farm in Hopkinton. There were so many of us that we had to split up into two groups.One of the highlights was the giant chicken enclosure filled to the brim with hens...and one gigantic rooster. Never seen anything like it.The egg collection was rather impressive as well.We met one mother of a cow too. Literally, she was "with calf". Crazy-huge head and udder. Here she's debating if Simone is really just another bovine albeit one with flashier markings then herself.
Following in step with the larger than life farm animals theme was the ginormous pig. Really, she made her namesake proud. Beyond adorable were her 10 piglets. Seriously if the farmer said I could've taken one, I would have buckled it right in between the children. They were that cute.This orange and black one would've been my pick. Sadly the farmer said no such thing. The nerve... she has TEN for cripes sake!Oh and here's a tip... if your youngest child has molars coming in, the farm might not be the best place to go while teething.
(I can hear the collective groans now from all you Purell using Mama's. ;)

1 comment:

Owl Moon said...

Those little piglets made Charlotte's Web come to life for me. I'd NEVER seen one that small, and I totally get how Fern couldn't part with the bugger.

Enjoying the blog!

"By nature people are learning animals. Birds fly; fish swim; humans think and learn. Therefore, we do not need to motivate children into learning by wheedling, bribing, or bullying. We do not need to keep picking away at their minds to make sure they are learning. What we need to do - and all we need to do - is to give children as much help and guidance as they need and ask for, listen respectfully when they feel like talking, and then get out of the way. We can trust them to do the rest."
John Holt
"In the end, the secret to learning is so simple: Think only about whatever you love. Follow it, do it, dream about it...and it will hit you: learning was there all the time, happening by itself." -Grace Llewellyn
"What we want to see is the child in pursuit of knowledge, not knowledge in pursuit of the child."
George Bernard Shaw
Real, natural learning is in the living. It's in the observing, the questioning, the examining, the pondering, the analyzing, the watching, the reading, the DO-ing, the living, the breathing, the loving, the JOY. It's in the joy. ~Anne Ohman
"How could youth better learn to live than by at once trying the experiment of living?" -Henry D. Thoreau