Down on the Farm

While on maternity leave, I want to do as many things with my girls as I have energy for. Truth be told, in trying to balance home life with the new addition, it seems to help me to plan for outings just to get me out of the house. Since my mom was in town, and we had storms roll in, she elected to stay home to watch Tesla. Mari and I had a date to Plano Heritage Farm Museum for their pre-school event Caterpillars and Butterflies. I was unsure if they were still going to have the event because of the storms, but they did!

A little backstory…they host these type of events every so often, so check their website if you want to learn more. It costs $8.50 for the adult and $5 for the child. You must call in advance to reserve a spot. Call early, too, because we seemed to join an entire playgroup from a nearby church. The event runs two hours and you leave with a little more knowledge about the farm and a craft.

First, we went to feed the chickens and hens. Mari was more fascinated by the corn grinder than actually feeding the animals. It was funny, she just threw the feed and walked back wanting to check things out.

Then, we went to check out the goats and sheep. Mari was happy to hear that sheep really do say “baaaa.” When we walked away, she made a joke and said, “Baaaaah sheep” while waving bye. Then let out a Mari giggle, while saying, “Mommy, I said Baaaaah…sounds like Bye.” “Yes, Mija, you are right.”

Then we took a rather uncomfortable tractor ride 3 times around the farm. We were really cramped. It was at that point that I was giving Mari props for her choice in attire. I had put on a black dress and black flip flops (such a freakin’ city slicker right here).

Next, we went to the pavilion to learn more about butterflies and do the craft. We even played a catch a butterfly game. Mari wasn’t really into the game. I bribed her with a dollar if she would catch a butterfly. Sure enough, she caught the first one. Nice.

Because she was really ready to go by this point, we opted to go to the old schoolhouse. Our leader had set up a coloring activity there, so we looked it over. She really enjoyed this part! She liked the small desks, the crayons, and also the school room. There were just a handful of kids in this part.

Finally, we ventured down to the creek where the water was a-flowing. We were both afraid we were going to be eaten alive by mosquitoes, so after I snapped the photo, we headed back to go home.

When we finally made it home, Mari proudly hung her butterfly craft in her window.

We had a good time and would definitely recommend this for kiddos who enjoy nature and/or farms. However, I would be sure to wear comfortable clothes, pack some water, and be prepared to have quite a bit of time on your own away from the group. Don’t forget the camera, and strollers are ok. Had I dressed better, we would have explored the farm a bit more. Had we both not needed a nap, we would have stayed longer too. Thanks Mom!