Farm Barn at Shelburne Farms

If our authentic Tom Sawyer experience was on the Missouri River in North Dakota, then this was our authentic Almanzo Wilder experience. We've been listening to Farmer Boy on cd in the car, and the kids were dying to experience life on a productive farm first-hand. With 100% freedom from me, they took off in different directions and got to work. They milked cows, they milked goats, they fed turkeys, and herded chickens into their coop. Have you ever done this? You just calmly walk close behind them clapping your hands. It's hilariously effective!

Peanut climbed apple trees and spent at least a 1/2 hour photographing a bee burrowing into one of them. She came back into the barn with a Wooly Bear and a helper pulled out a type of Almanac to check out the brown to black ratio -- according to this caterpillar, it's going to be a mild winter. After collecting eggs for the kitchen, she surprised me from behind with pleas of, "Mom, take my picture! Quick." I turned around and she was holding a chicken! This is new for us, you know; we're an urban family! We got the giggles and naturally, I said, "Teach me! Teach me!" Then I bravely picked up my favorite chicken with the crazy bed-head, feeling intensely satisfied.

Doodle could have brushed Zippy, the Angora rabbit all day. She switched brushes and combs to her heart's content, until she had a full bag of hair. Incidentally, the next day we didn't recognize Zippy with her really bad haircut! Anyway, the kids carded and then spun the rabbit fur in pairs, with a hook. They made bracelets and necklaces and then collected feathers to stick in them for decoration. The employees (in particular Sally and Laura) were prodigious in their knowledge and manner with the kids.

Little Man took over a chicken coop and started loading all the farm tools he was allowed to touch into it. After a couple of hours he called me for help. I was shocked to see that he'd rolled an enormous 5' log UP the hill, managing to turn it lengthwise so it could fit through the gate. His trouble began when he had to shove it; I could barely budge it myself. I told him I couldn't believe he's rolled that thing up the hill (there were 2 others still down there). He raised his eyebrows and replied, "Well, I told you. I'm really good at farm work!" One of the employees said she'd been watching him all morning, and couldn't believe how he'd stayed so interested in his job and so productive.

We came back the next day to go on the Barn Snoop Tour -- which they were giving only because I made a special request. Gigi's daughter is in Little Man's class and she told him that climbing up the clock tower was the best part of the barn (aside from milking real cows). It was definitely worth it -- especially for Grandma who has a thing for clocks in the first place.

But now the heavy rains came so we didn't stay long or play out in the yard as much. Little Man begged, "Pleeeeease, can we stay just one more day? I didn't get to have a good-bye playtime on the tractor!" Before this trip, I'd already received a personal testimony from Gigi and her daughter about this place, but now I get it. If you're planning a trip to Vermont with children, the Farm Barn must be at the top of your list. Nothing else even compares.