This weekend we went to Collingwood Children’s Farm – one of our favourites. My husband – having grown up in the country – often picks on me being a “city hipster who sneezes at nature, but still wants to see farm animals while having her hipster coffee” (all true), but it really is a great experience, especially for little ones who aren’t fortunate enough to come across farm animals regularly.

I have been to the farm on many occasions, but this was probably the busiest I have seen it. I have to admit, I panicked when we pulled into the street towards the car park at 9am (the farm opens at 9.15am) to be greeted with a queue of cars waiting to be directed into spaces. However, many cars were already making their way out, with the farmers’ market kicking off at 8am.

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Every second Saturday, from 8am, the local farmers’ market is hosted at Collingwood Children’s Farm. How is it different from any other day? Entry is $2 for adults and free for kids (until 1pm), and the place is much busier than usual. The thing is, many of those visitors are just locals going to the market. The farm itself felt at or about the same pace as usual.

The farmers’ market is fabulous, and worth a look. The fresh produce is outstanding, with many of the food stalls cooking with the fresh produce on offer. There are bails of hay scattered around for you to sit on, and kids can roam free and enjoy the atmosphere, while munching on some delicious produce (fresh strawberries and blackberries abound this week).

Of course, there’s the usual farm fodder. Having been there before we are more than familiar with what’s on offer: cows, guinea pigs, peacocks, pigs, chickens, goats, ducks, horses and sheep. Each day the cows are brought in for miking, which the kids can have a go of if they choose (missy was a bit squeamish). If they’re not up for milking, they can give the cow a nice brush, which is always fun.

Last time we went missy partook in some guinea pig feeding and cuddles, which she still speaks of!  This time, we hand fed a goat some grass, which was pretty fun for me, and absolutely terrifying for her.

The animals are all pretty used to kids, and there’s something to do for nearly all ages. It’s really just about chucking on some  gum boots, grabbing yourself a coffee and checking out the animals – if you’re lucky you might get some muddy puddles to jump in. For non-market days, The Farm Cafe is great. There’s often a wait, but you can usually roam the dirt track and view some more animals before being called to your table.  The food is always great and, of course, it’s kid-friendly!

Our last documented adventure: Coal Creek Train

*Note: The cow image I have used for this article is not an actual Collingwood Children’s Farm cow. I forgot to take a picture!

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