Beyond providing delicious and nutritious food, farms can also nurture our playful side.
Oxbow Farm and Conservation Center, based in Carnation, has long recognized the value of play-based ways of engaging kids with nature. We’ve visited their Oxtober Fest every fall for several years to explore their “living playground” — a whimsical space with a grapevine tunnel, a bean arena and a colorful climbing tractor.
Outdoor learning experiences continue to feel the safest and most fun for our family, so when I read that Oxbow was offering a spring version of their Family Farm Adventures, I signed us up immediately.
Family farm tours: custom-fit for fun
I really value inclusive spaces and appreciated that Oxbow felt welcoming even in the signup stage. The registration form asks for each family member’s pronouns, as well as allergies and any mental-health and behavior patterns that make attendees unique. Since the experience is a private tour for you and your pod, staff can adapt the activities to the needs and preferences of each child — little ones have a more play-based experience, while older kids can supplement STEM learning with lessons on composting or plant genetics.
My kids take a bit longer than some to warm up to new experiences, particularly after a yearlong pandemic has limited social interactions. Our hosts, Farmers Hannah and Catherine, didn’t bat an eye when my daughter wasn’t ready to join in a welcoming song in the orchard. While both kids clung to my legs at first, observing the mason bee motel finally broke them out of their shells, as did buzzing through the orchard while imitating the flight patterns of different types of bees.
Spring farm treats and play time
Our flight from the orchard landed us in front of the rhubarb patch. After pretending to use the wide leaves for hats, we sampled some of the ruby red stems. I often bake strawberry-rhubarb crisp at home, but was shocked to see my kids enjoying lip-puckeringly sour slices of the raw version. This spring treat became even more fun when we played hide-and-seek among the stalks (with careful steps between rows).
Vine tunnels are irresistibly fun.
Next stop: the living playground. This space is always a highlight for my kids, and they would be content to wind through the labyrinth of vine tunnels for hours, but it was time to practice their farming skills!
Bringing some seeds into the bean arena (a yurt-shaped space at one end of the vine tunnel), Farmer Hannah used a map to show us how they had been brought from Central America by generations of immigrants and saved to replant each year. Each child got to plant a few seeds and water them as we whispered encouraging words to help them grow. My daughter remembered gathering these same seeds when we visited in the fall, and was excited to continue the seed-saving tradition.
Planting sunflower seeds in tiny pots.
Traveling to the other side of the vine tunnel, we slid down a grassy hill to a bench where we made tiny pots by folding newspaper around a small plastic mold. With a little adult support, even my 2-year-old was able to proudly form his own pot before filling it with dirt and planting a few sunflower seeds to take home.
Family farm tour: Harvest time
In our home garden, the kids often pull plants out by the roots in their enthusiasm for harvesting. Catherine demonstrated the right technique to make sure the next family gets to enjoy the farm’s bounty: Hold the plant by the stem and gently pull leaves or flowers down toward the ground to harvest them.
Grabbing a basket, we strolled around the farm to see how many different colors of produce we could find to bring home with us. The basket was quickly weighed down with green fava bean leaves, yellow kale flowers and rainbow chard. I’m happy to report that no plants were sacrificed to overeager hands! Root vegetables and lettuces do still get pulled up for harvesting — we picked radishes, turnips and several heads of butter lettuce to turn into salads at home.
Heading to the car, we talked about all the ways we could use our “goody bags” of produce and what might show up later in the season based on the flowers we saw blooming on the farm. I’m looking forward to strawberries in the near future!
Goody bags to take home!
Family farm tour: Details
Location: Oxbow Farm & Conservation Center is located at 10819 Carnation-Duvall Rd N.E. in Carnation, which is about a 35-40 minute drive from Seattle. They’ve recently changed the entrance point for tours, so follow the signs placed on the road.
Duration and availability: Most weekdays until June 4 (with summer adventures starting June 28); 2-hour time slots starting at 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m.
Group size: Groups are limited to 5 people (and 3 children) in the same household or learning pod, but contact the farm if you want to discuss a different-sized group.
Cost: Sliding scale fee from $50-150 per group. The website also emphasizes Oxbow’s desire for accessibility. Contact them if cost is a barrier.
Other opportunities: On weekends, visit Oxbow’s farm stand from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and check out their network of short nature trails.
More fun with nature in Seattle’s Child:
Best family farms and petting zoos around Seattle
8 botanical gardens that are great for a family visit
