There are many ways to spend the holidays. Conventionally, people associate vacation with luxurious trips to exotic islands or bustling cities with huge shopping centers. Although these types of vacation are enjoyable, you can also find delight in simpler, but more relevant activities during a farm stay.
What is a farm stay?
A farm stay is a type of accommodation on an operating farm. Most farm stays are interactive and family-centered. Farms offer relaxing retreats while offering skills training for both adults and children. These include converted barns, yurts, cabins, cottages, and traditional farmhouse rooms.
The popularity of farm stays continues to steadily surge in various parts of the world including Europe, Asia, and North America. Primarily, farm stays aim for the growth of agritourism or using agriculture as an economic booster in the field of tourism. More farmers try to become involved in ventures that provide more diverse sources of income. They also desire to gain the interest of consumers and make visitors reconnect with rural heritage.
You may be wondering how this type of vacation can bring relaxation when you’ll obviously be working hands-on in a farm. It’s vital to know that experiencing rural life allows you to be active and brings lots of educational benefits. In fact, many schools try to incorporate farm visits in students’ field trips.
What are the benefits of farm stays?
- Promotes a deeper understanding of food sources
By staying on a working farm, you’ll be informed of common practices in food production, such as the raising and harvesting of crops. You’ll also know how certain food products are made from natural ingredients. Being aware of basic knowledge such as determining the quality of plant foods and identifying the difference of consuming chemical-free and organic whole foods may even foster desires to start a healthy lifestyle.
- Nurtures respect for living organisms
Farm holidays enable vacationers to interact with animals. They will be able to feed ducks, chicken, hogs, cattle, horses — you name it. Some farms even offer courses about the basics of animal husbandry. An example is teaching tourists about the key essentials of animal shelters.
Shelters vary and particular factors are taken into account when building these structures. For instance, cattle yard designs go beyond measurements and materials since these also consider angles that allow ease of movement. Chicken coops, on the other hand, require having substantial height, proper ventilation systems, and temperature control.
- Teaches valuable skills
The training courses provided on a farm are beneficial to children. During their developing years, children need to be taught good values and exposed to nature to increase their respect for Mother Earth. Adults can also benefit, as they can learn skills that include foraging, planting, harvesting, milking, cheese-making, wood whittling, and many more.
- Allows reconnection with nature
Getting a chance to bond with nature can improve one’s appreciation for it. During a farm stay, you’ll be able to reconnect with your roots and develop a more mature and considerate outlook on environmental care. You’ll also be able to manage stress levels and calm your mind by engrossing in the beauty of nature.
Farm stays can be a form of ecotourism or a method of using tourism to promote advocacies, such as conservation of the environment and natural resources. In addition, it can be considered geotourism or a type of tourism that aims to sustain a specific area’s geographical characteristics. Why not try it now?
