Catoctin Mountain Farm
(SOLD OUT)
Highlights from our Adventure (9/26/22)
A Farm & Food Adventure!
We’re thrilled to be heading to Catoctin Mountain Farm for our first Maryland Curiosity Lab adventure!
Alison is a dietician and her husband, Nick, is a farmer. Along with Jay, the other farmer, they run a very different kind of farm. Their farm animals forage for food, reproduce naturally, and live outdoors.
We’ll start by exploring the farm and learning how to care for animals. We’ll spend the afternoon getting our hands dirty making sourdough bread and churning butter.
Schedule
Monday, September 26th
8:20 AM: Meet at the Hardgraves’ house
8:30 AM: Depart
10:00 AM: Arrive at Catoctin Mountain Farm
Meet Hammy the pet pig.
10:30 AM: Visit the sheep
Learn about the different breeds, their unique diet, and their purpose on the farm.
11:00 AM: Cider and donuts
11:30 AM: Time for our big hike through the farm!
We’ll visit the pigs that live in the woods (don’t expect them to be pink like a typical farm hog!), see the baby chicks, and hang out with the goats. We’ll learn how Catoctin raises their animals in a humane way. We’ll explore different types of animal feeds and how to care for the farm animals.
1:00 PM: Lunch
Bring a bagged lunch!
1:30 PM: Sourdough bread baking and butter churning
What is sourdough exactly? Why is it more healthy than other types of bread? We’ll learn how yeast affects the dough and make our own loaves of sourdough. We’ll also churn butter and enjoy some fresh bread.
2:30 PM: Free time
Play outside or explore the farm.
3:00 PM: Depart for home
Give a tearful goodbye to Hammy. We’ll miss you sweet pig!
4:30 PM: Pickup at the Hardgraves’ house
Parents’ Checklist
Pack a lunch and a water bottle.
Kids are not allowed to bring smartphones. We don’t want any distractions from screens. There will be a group text with the four adults on the trip should you need to reach your child.
Bring good hiking shoes (no flip flops or sandals).
Bring layers as it can be much cooler at the farm.
Bring a rain coat.
Sign the waiver on Monday.
Pay $100 per kid to Roman’s Venmo.
If you’d like to order any fresh meat or produce from the farm for pickup, Roman will bring it back for you. Order here. Orders have to be in by 4 pm Sunday.
Remember to check in on Sunday in case we have to reschedule the trip due to weather.
Let Roman know if your child has a donut allergy.
More Adventures to Be Announced Soon!
Anne Arundel County School Closures (Fall):
Monday, September 26th
Wednesday, October 10th
Tuesday, November 8th