DAYTRIPPIN’
A Slice of Heaven
TERESA ANDERSON TEACHES VISITORS ABOUT FARM LIFE By AMY ROGNLIE | Courtesy photos
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hy does that turkey’s head change colors? Why do we need rain? Why are worms important to the environment? You may not have ever thought about such questions. But they are kind of things discussed daily at the Slice of Heaven Educational Farm in Holland. The 50-acre working farm offers something for everyone. “Here, visitors won’t just learn—they’ll get to play with our friendly farm animals, take a ride in our tractor-pulled barrel train, and touch the sky on our in-ground jump pillow,” says farm director and founder Teresa Anderson. Visitors enjoy the petting area where they can interact with farm animals such as a rescued baby goat named Hemingway. “We love making kids smile and watching the joy everyone experiences when they hear Zeus the donkey bray, or hold a bunny for the first time, or watch a baby chick hatch,” says Teresa. “We like to teach the children about the concept of ‘farm to table’ and how each animal on a farm has a job as either a producer or a worker.”
72 SPRING 2021 | TEX APPEAL
Teaching comes natural to Teresa, who has been involved in education her entire life. While she and her volunteer staff love educating folks of all ages, they have made Slice of Life a favorite field trip destination for local elementary students. “We work with teachers to support their classroom topics and curriculum—anything from worm gardening to recycling to pond life to making butter,” she says. “I believe that education is an investment in our collective future.” For those wanting a more intense experience, the farm offers birthday parties and week-long summer camps for kids from preschool through ninth grade. Horse camps are also available. “Horse camps are a whole week of everything horses,” Teresa says with a smile. “Campers learn the foundation of horsemanship and basic riding skills, the do's and don'ts of working with horses, and the basic body language of the horse and how to use their body language to communicate with the horse. Other fun activities include bathing horses, braiding and craft projects.” In addition to horse camp, horseback riding lessons are available year-round for both children and adults and are run according to the United States Pony Club Standards. The farm is also in the process of building both a new dressage arena and a new jumping arena. Staffed entirely by volunteers, the farm also partners with the Bell County Co-op to offer volunteer opportunities to the special needs
