Are you tired of the traditional family vacation? Or maybe you feel like your travel plans need a revamp this year. Well whatever the case may be, the U.S. Farm Stay Association offers a unique and exciting experience for your entire family; you can spend your vacation this year on a working ranch or farm! That’s right; a farm – or ranch – anywhere across the United States! And what’s even more captivating is that you don’t have to settle for a packaged plan that only allows a few options. You still get to decide how, and where, your family will participate in the fun.

The concept of farm stays has actually been around for quite some time, though for some reason it is surprisingly new to both American farmers and American families looking for unique vacation experiences. Europe has long since participated in this educational and historical type of travel. In Italy, it is known as “agriturismo,” while many other countries have long since held the view of “checking out” and diving into nature, where you go off the grid, so to speak, and leave all the amenities and confines of the city to spend some time reconnecting with the natural world all around you.

Whether feeding a lamb or milking a cow, helping with daily chores or taking a class in cheese making, every farm stay offers something different and operates differently. Keep in mind that these stays are not simply a hotel or B&B on a non-operational farm or ranch. These are hands-on experiences that will offer your family wonderful memories and the unique opportunity of caring for nature and understanding the process of sustainable living. Where your family will be up-close and personal with nature and all it can offer!

Farming has been a part of the American way of life for some time, but since World War II it has been challenged severely and even been on the decline. Your participation in this type of vacation ensures that farmers and their hard work are noted and respected, and that this tradition continues and begins to even thrive again. As more and more American farmers open their doors to families and farm stays, and as more families engage in the farm stay experience, we can ensure that this tradition indeed continues!

The U.S. Farm Stay Association has created a wonderful website, www.farmstayus.com, where families can choose what state they would like to vacation in. And if you are not certain what state you would like to visit, the website allows you to even choose your destination based on region. So if you know you love the Midwest but have never been, you can simply choose the region and then sit back – the website will do all of the work as it provides you with a throng of choices to choose from. You can also choose your location based on specific “allowables,” such as whether or not you’d like to bring a pet or even a party of twenty with you!

And for all of you wine lovers, there is even the possibility of staying on a working vineyard! It’s easy to see how www.farmstayus.com has something for every type of vacation and for every type of family.

The hope of a farm stay experience is that your family will take away not only great memories, but a deeper respect for nature and those who care for it. The farmers that you interact with hope that your stay on their farm (or ranch) helps your family to appreciate the beauty and fragility of nature, that you will be able to understand the hard work and dedication that farmers put into ensuring an eco-friendly and sustainable system of living with the environment. And of course, they want you to have fun experiencing nature rather than merely reading about it!

So go ahead and begin creating treasured memories with your family by booking your farm stay today!

The post Vacations on Working Ranches and Farms across the U.S. appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

By Dana DeMercurio

With the ever-rising cost of produce –fresh veggies, fruits, and eggs— single families and entire communities around the country are taking matters into their own hands, though not without getting them a little dirty.

Urban farming may not be a new concept to thousands of people who have been living off their land for decades, yet for certain urbanites the adage “reaping what you sow” was never meant to be taken literally.

Families in major metro areas including San Francisco, Boston, and even New York City have been experimenting with urban farming for quite some time, and with their proven success, this sustainable lifestyle has spread like wildfire around the nation.  Tight-knit and sprawling communities alike are picking up their shovels, throwing down their seeds, and reaping the benefits of their edible efforts. 

But adding a small garden to your backyard or contributing to a neighbored farm is not just about lowering your monthly food budget. Children between the ages of six and sixteen who participate in gardening and farming activities are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables that are home-grown, and have the added bonus of developing a close relationship with the earth and its ecosystems. 

Julie Cummins, Director of Education for the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture located in San Francisco (CUESA), says that urban farming projects “give children a sense of purpose –growing their own food—and an opportunity to nurture and take care of something.” Teaching sustainable and healthful practices through hands-on experiences not only allows children to feel accomplished, it provides an extended education of fresh, whole foods and their benefits on living and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.     

“Understanding where food comes from, and understanding what it takes to grow food are the foundation for making informed food choices later in life,” says Cummins. “When they learn about the industrial food system and how much food is produced today, and they compare that with their own experience in the garden, they can easily understand that pesticides and overly processed foods are not a necessary part of the diet.”

When getting your child involved in farming or gardening projects, parents should steer clear of treating the experience like a chore, Cummins suggests. “Try to come up with games, art projects, or other creative ways to interact with the garden.” Allowing kids to pick their own seeds and cook with the harvest are other ways to keep kids engaged and eager throughout the entire farming/gardening experience. 

Not all families can be committed to live animals for produce such as chickens and bees, however. For such families, Cummins suggests starting off small with a manageable project so that both parents and children have the chance to acclimate to the new sustainable lifestyle.  

Want to learn more about urban farming and how your family can get started? Check out www.CUESA.org for more information on how to cultivate a healthy food system.  

The post Lettuce, Tomatoes and Carrots, Oh My! appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.