In today’s world of grocery pick-up and home delivery, it becomes ever more difficult to help your children understand where their food comes from. When asked about food sources a generation ago, kids were already apt to say that food comes “from the store.” Today, they may be more likely to assume that food comes “from the delivery guy.”
School-based programs show that getting kids involved in the agricultural side of food production makes them more willing to try new foods such as kale and spinach. These programs also note an increase in kids’ interest in caring for the environment and sense of empowerment to help effect change. But if your child’s school doesn’t have one of these programs, how do you help them understand that the way their food is grown or raised can affect their health? Country Dairy is a great place to bridge the knowledge gap for your family.
“Mom, where does milk come from?”
For the past 40 years, Country Dairy has been producing safe, delicious, local milk for West Michigan families. Come on down to the farm and take a tour, where your family will get to pet calves, ride in a horse-drawn wagon, and watch the automatic milking system pump milk from a cow right before your eyes.
The tour is a great way to introduce children to the idea that food comes from the earth and the animals that live on it. The way we care for the earth and the animals matters. Country Dairy takes great care to provide their cows with dignity by naming each one and meeting individual nutritional and medical needs. They also grow all the food for the cows on-site at the farm, ensuring that it remains rBST-free, non-GMO, and experiences minimal pesticide use.
Learning about food production
While the primary output of dairy farms is often milk, Country Dairy creates a variety of other farm fresh foods that can broaden your child’s understanding of food production. Inside the farm store, you’ll find everything from cheese to ice cream to beef. These products are great conversation starters about responsible stewardship of resources.
Cheese curds, for instance, are part of the process of making blocks of Cheddar cheese from cow’s milk. Curds are produced when the milk is cultured. When the vat is set up, the curds are cut where they then sink to the bottom of the vat. The liquid that is left is called whey and can be used for adding protein to food. Rather than putting these curds into a hoop, they are simply drained and packaged into a very tasty snack all their own that we call “Moochies”.
For older children who understand that meat comes from animals, Country Dairy provides an opportunity to discuss ethical treatment of livestock. On the farm tour, you’ll encounter not only milking cows but also steers that are being raised for beef. Country Dairy sells their own premium farm-raised beef at their farm store.
You can point out to your child the way the beef steers are allowed freedom of movement, socialization with other cattle, and individual attention to their needs. Not all farms operate this way. If a child expresses sadness at the fate of a beef steer, it’s okay to acknowledge that deaths are sad. However, you can emphasize the good quality of life the beef animals enjoy at Country Dairy, and assure your child that they receive humane treatment.
See for yourself
Now that you’ve been to the farm and seen where food comes from, take the conversation home with you. Purchase Country Dairy milk at your local grocery store, and show your child the label on the bottle as a reminder of where this milk came from. Their enthusiasm at drinking milk from cows they’ve “met” may surprise you!
You can also order farm fresh groceries from the Country Dairy farm store to be delivered to your home. Suddenly, your child will have a much clearer idea of where “the delivery guy” is getting the food he brings. Don’t be surprised if this leads to more questions about where some of their favorite foods come from. Together, you can research some of their snacks online and maybe even find safer, more ethical alternatives.
Country Dairy is a great place to introduce your child to the world of food production. Family-owned for more than one hundred years, Country Dairy understands your desire to feed your family safe, wholesome, local food. Kids are always welcome on the farm, and questions are encouraged! Schedule your tour today.