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(El Paso County) — Located east of Colorado Springs, Muddy Little Cowboy Ranch shares its passion for agriculture with people of all ages. Owner Linda Childers educates visitors about the Southern Colorado farming lifestyle.
“Kids in the city have no idea where their food comes from,” Childers explains. “They think all their food comes from the grocery store. They think chickens only lay white and brown eggs. They’ve never seen a blue or green egg.”
About 30 kids and their parents visited Muddy Little Cowboy Ranch on Wednesday morning. Some knew each other, but some were meeting for the first time. The idea for the visit came from a Facebook playgroup they all belong to.
“Last year, we started a Colorado Springs playgroup on Facebook,” Isabella Otero said, “for other parents to meet, schedule play dates, share information, and things like that.”
This Land of the East experience is unlike any other, and the hands-on learning experiences Childers provided helped kids understand the importance of growing vegetables along with caring for livestock.
“It’s really important to teach kids the basics – where their food comes from, what they’re eating, how it’s processed and just general nutrition,” April Clark said.
Various animals announce their presence around the property, making resonant calls for the children to hear, but the silent carp play an important role on the farm.
“We have a koi pond and we use the water as fertiliser. Everyone who comes in is amazed at how green it is. It’s a fish pond and it’s our money,” Childers said.
The farm opened on Memorial Day and is now in its fourth year of bringing a country feel to Southern Colorado. “It’s just a great experience and a great atmosphere,” Clark said of visiting the farm with her son. “It’s small and quaint, but it’s geared towards kids, so it’s very kid-friendly.”
Before leaving, visitors can taste and smell the memories of life on the farm with a basket of farm-fresh produce.
“At the end of the tour, we give them a basket of what we’ve harvested,” Childers explains. “We give them goat’s milk, eggs, fruit and vegetables, and the kids love knowing that their food is growing in the soil and not in a grocery store.”
Though life on the farm is different than downtown Colorado Springs, Childers’ commitment to educating and preserving rural life is apparent to those who set foot on the property.
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