Chatbug Karen

I believe in mental health days. That is when you do something just because it sounds like fun. It is even better when it turns out to be so much fun that you cannot wait to go back.

Yesterday, mom and I went with a group from church to Fair Oaks Farms. Fair Oaks Farms is located in a portion of Indiana that is well suited for cows because corn grows well there. In fact, the farm covers approximately 19,000 acres. Fair Oaks Farms is a commercial dairy operation that has opened parts of its process as exhibits so that people like me can understand how a dairy farm works. This dairy is so modernized with its computer generated milking machines that I would not have been surprised to see Asus labeling on its components. It was awesome.

I had just read the book Food, Inc. so it was nice to see that not every farm is like the ones described in that book. This farm is so clean that the cows even look happy. LOL

There are interactive exhibits where kids learn all about cows, including the fact that they have 4 stomachs. They can play on a giant air jumping pillow and climb a giant milk bottle to test their climbing skills.

Cheese is made right there at the farm. That was interesting. Of course we were able to buy cheese from their store and they also sold ice cream. It was delicious.

For me, the most interesting part of the experience was watching a live birth. Two mama cows were in the birthing barn when we arrived. One had just had her calf and the other was in the process of delivering. I just wanted to help her!

It was a fun day.

Tags: calf, cheese, cows, dairy farm, ice cream