I could go on and on about my favorite signs of spring: the return of patio dining and food trucks, baseball season, busy bike trails, thunderstorms. But the one on my mind today is Farm Babies. If you have kids (and even if you don’t), a great way to celebrate the renewal of spring is by greeting the newcomers to the Minnesota Zoo’s Wells Fargo Family Farm.
wells fargo family farm Photo by ryan clausen. baby chicks photo courtesy of minnesota zoo
Farm Babies (March 31-April 30, from 10 a.m.-4.m.) allows visitors to meet newborn chicks, piglets, lambs, calves, goat kids, and bunnies. The eight-and-a-half acre Wells Fargo Family Farm at the Apple Valley zoo is designed to engage kids and families with animals and nature. Each season kicks off with a look at the next generation of farm babies.
Stroll the kids out on the Northern Trail past Tiger Base Camp, the adorable prairie dogs, and more to the grain elevator, where you can hop on a tractor to the farm (Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays).
The little ones will get a chance to learn about farm animals up close and personal. Every once and a while, these friendly creatures might get a little too friendly—my friend recalls a goat stealing some Cheerios from her toddler’s stroller last year.
While the farm opens this weekend, next weekend brings even more fun, with hand’s-on activities for little ones (April 6 & 7, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.), like face painting. That Saturday you can also take your kids to meet Peter Rabbit (10 a.m.-1 p.m.).
Once you’ve met the farm’s newest additions, don’t forget to say hi to the bears of Russia’s Grizzly Coast or waddle over to the 3M Penguins of the African Coast exhibit—the zoo has added exhibits and refreshed its entry in recent years, just one of the reasons we love it.
While you consider your options, I’ll leave you with this adorable video of a Wells Fargo Family Farm visit:
