Going back to the barn;

    The Farmyard in Parkton, Maryland celebrated its opening day on April 3. The day was complete with an egg hunt, hayride, goat bottle-feeding, and even pictures with the Easter Bunny. 

    This event was the first of many events The Farmyard is planning to hold throughout the season. The farm is run by owner Renee Wilson, who, alongside her father, farmer Steve Wilson, crafted the dream back in 2016. According to her website, her goal was to “provide the community with opportunities to learn about the agriculture industry and share experiences about life on the farm.”

    Wilson’s business over time has expanded from a simple farm stand to a known site for agriculture-based education complete with year-round classes, social events, barn animals to meet and a summer-long snowball stand. 

     This summer, The Farmyard is offering unique volunteer opportunities for students as well as events families of all ages can stop by and enjoy. Volunteers at The Farmyard are allowed a hands-on experience with the animals living on the farm and aid in the teaching process of the experience. Each event at the farm has a component to it that allows for knowledge of the industry to be passed along to visitors. 

     Events such as Tractor Day, Farm School, the Bee and Butterfly Bash, and Dairy Day will be highlighted throughout the summer months. Each event focuses on a different topic and is targeted at varying age groups.

     Guests can also shop throughout the summer at events for items such as Farmyard merchandise, handmade soaps, fresh flowers, and various event-based items.

     Students of North Harford will be seen making an appearance throughout the summer while volunteering at these events. Freshman Madison Hedges-Bailey began volunteering with the farm at the start of Farm School as her Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) project. 

     The project is a year-long study that magnet students in the NRAS program complete. Hedges-Bailey expressed her appreciation for the farm and urged others to visit, stating “The Farmyard is the perfect place for a family to spend their weekends. There are farm animals, there are always fun activities, and a great learning opportunity and a great way to support a local farm.”

   Senior Kylan Keehan can also be seen during her summer days helping around the farm or occasionally appearing for her Miss Maryland Agriculture title. Keehan has been volunteering at the farm for the past five years and says “The Farmyard is a great place to bring your family to learn about Maryland’s number one industry, agriculture. At The Farmyard you will be able to connect with local farmers and some of the lovable animals who call The Farmyard home!” She continued on to say, “Renee is passionate about bridging the gap between our consumers and our farmers and you can feel the love she has for her animals, volunteers, and visitors from the second you step out of the car!”

     Events hosted by the farm as well as volunteer opportunities this summer can be found on The Farmyard’s website or Facebook page.