Miami County Farm Tour May 8-9 Come see people and products at local farms
Five Mile Farm New Lancaster General Store
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iami County farms will welcome visitors from across the region May 8-9 for a fun look at rural life in Eastern Kansas. The event offers an inside look at farm life with interactive educational opportunities set within the region’s natural beauty. The tour is free and consists of about a dozen farm stops, including three additions. Five Mile Farms: This familyrun operation is passionate about regenerative farming. Visitors will get an educational look at their pastures and soil fields while getting a taste of their nutritional and delicious beef and poultry. Madd House Hill: The Nigerian Dwarf Dairy goats the live at Madd House provide the milk that is turned into lotions, soaps and other goods. Visitors can meet and play with the goats while learning about the care needed to keep them happy and healthy. Sweet Streams Lavender Company: The family behind Sweet Streams is dedicated to creating organic, high quality lavender products. Visitors will enjoy the serene surroundings of the lavender fields while getting an informational look into the growing, harvesting and processing of the lavender. The farm tour offers families an opportunity to spend time outdoors enjoying the more rural aspects of Miami County. Each site offers educational activities. Animals range from alpacas to Hereford cattle and 32
April 2021 | kcgmag.com
bison. Most stops offer picnic and rest area amenities. Those on the lookout for the perfect photo should keep an eye out for selfie stations. Each stop is committed to following local health protocols. As a result, a farm may be unexpectedly closed for the weekend. Each farm will have cleaning and safety supplies on hand. New to the tour this year is a digital scavenger hunt. Registration is free. Participants should look for the QR Code at each location or find it on the tour website, www.MiCoFarmTour.com. As visitors explore the farms. they will be asked to solve a clue leading them to identify something special at each location. By snapping a picture and uploading it to the app, families can enter for door prizes at each site. Weather plays a big role in the weekend, so visitors are encouraged to watch the forecast. Warmer weather may limit the activity level of some animals, so visitors may want to schedule those stops earlier in the day. Bees and other flying insects are important to nature’s cycle. Many of the farms intentionally feature plants that encourage pollination. Visitors with allergies are encouraged to be prepared. Several stops will have products for sale that may require refrigeration, so participants are encouraged to bring a cooler. Products include cheese, pecans, fresh vegetables, honey, wine and blackberries. Not
Whispering Elm Farm bee hive
Timber View Farm all locations accept credit cards, so visitors may want to carry cash if they plan on making any purchases. This self-guided tour celebrates the county-s diversity and highlights local farm products found on the back roads of Miami County. Watch for directional signs the day of the tour and visit as many of the tour stops as you like. Parking areas will be designated at each stop. While parking is available at each site, please be aware that weather and terrain may create some physi-
cal challenges. Although this event is child friendly, each site is a working farm. Visitors are asked to encourage respect for the farm’s operations, plants and animals. Please leave pets at home. For more information about the farm tour or to receive a map of the sites please call 913-294-4045. The tour’s website, www.MiCoFarmTour.com features a map of the sites and information about their location.
