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Local Farms
Barn 'n' Bunk Farm Market - www.barnnbunk.com. 3677 Wayne-Madison Road, Trenton (513) 988-9211. Wow, this place has it all - they even have a Sunday Brunch. We need to get over there to check it out. They have a gift shop that features items from over 65 local crafters and an ice cream shop. During their fall festival, a straw maze is one of the main attractions at this family-owned farm market off Ohio 73 near Trenton. The market hosts its annual Fall Festival each weekend leading up to Halloween, with specialty crafts, Amish baked goods available. Children's activities include face painting, horse-drawn hayrides and games. Pumpkins are also available for sale. Blooms and Berries Probst Farm - www.bloomsandberriesfarmmarket.com. 9669 Ohio 48 S, Loveland (513) 697-9173. This is a little gem and is a perfect place to take all ages. My kids always have a great time during their Fall Festival - they like to run through the hay bale maze (free), put their feet in the big corn seed bin, pick out a pumpkin, slide down the big tube slide and play in the farm themed kid's area. You can do a hayride (small charge) as well. It looks they open in April. Don't miss their fall festival, every weekend in October. The farm's market offers hand-dipped caramel apples, fresh pressed local cider, fresh popcorn, and Ohio apples. Take a walk down Scarecrow Alley and pick up some decorations for your yard. Admission to the farm is FREE.
 Dogwood Farms - www.dogwoodfarms.com - I'm thrilled to add Dogwood Farms to our farm listing. Why? This farm has local ties and on a personal side, I know the Mom of the owner, Samantha Steiner. Their website says it best, "At Dogwood Farm we strive to provide natural healthy products that supports the need for locally grown food and educates consumers about the value of these products." Farm fresh eggs are only $3 for a dozen and they will last 8 weeks in the refrigerator. Click here for their price listing and think about buying locally next time you get your grocery list together. They have free range turkeys,all natural beef, free range broliers, and much more. Read more. Store Hours: 9AM-8PM, Monday-Sunday , Closed on Holidays 1730 Shaker Road, Franklin, OH 45005 513-226-8455  Findlay Market - This is a local treasure for Cincinnatians. You really need
to take the family here at least once to experience all the sights,
sounds and smells associated with the market. All the vendors are so
friendly and they have fresh, healthy produce at great prices. There
are meat & cheese vendors, flowers, bakeries and so much more.
Sometimes they'll have street performers and other events going on.
Take a look at the buildings surrounding the market - they are so
colorful - you don't feel like you are in Cincinnati. There is onsite
parking available too. Bring a cooler with you and after the market
head to one of Cincinnati's parks and have your very own picnic with all
the good food you've purchased. Visit www.findlaymarket.org for more
info. 1801 Race St., Cincinnati, Ohio 45202. Email info@findlaymarket.org.Gorman Heritage Farm - www.gormanfarm.org. 10052 Reading Road Evendale, Ohio 45241 (513-563-6663). This is a wonderful educational farm. It has 120 acres and offers many programs and events throughout the year to learn more about farm life and animals on the farm. Since this is a working farm, they have farm fresh produce, honey, eggs and meat for sale.
Hidden Valley Fruit Farm - www.hiddenvalleyfruitfarm.com. 5474 N. Ohio 48, Lebanon. (513) 932-1869. They have a market and bakery on site and they have farm animals you can check out. For their fall festival, they offer a four-acre kid's maze, hayrides and pumpkins. Irons Fruit Farm - www.ironsfruitfarm.com. 1640Stubbs Mill Road, Lebanon (513) 932-2853. They have farm animals, bakery items, fresh fruit (in season) and they also offer orchard tours for groups of 12 or more. During their fall festival time, pumpkin hayrides are available every weekend in October. There is a corn maze and other activities include donkey rides, local craft displays and pioneer re-enactments. Hours:
Niederman Family Farm - www.gregorycreekinn.com. 5110 Lesourdsville-West Chester Road, Hamilton (513) 779-6184. I just found this wonderful farm over the holidays - I wish it were Christmas so you could check out the most awesome light display I've ever seen (and it's FREE). It is a biblical display and it is unbelievable - you drive up to the farm and you go through a light tunnel (you even turn off your car lights for the effect) then, you get out and start walking along this huge path that makes a giant U - it is actually quite a walk but it's filled with beautiful lights and displays. After the amazing journey, you can head to their beautiful barn for free hot chocolate and cookies. I know you'll want to make a donation after you've seen all that they offer. Then they have the cutest little barns (very well kept) where your kids can see some farm animals up close. It is an amazing place.
It looks like they also have a Fall Harvest Moon festival that we'll need to check out this year which opens in the Fall and includes a 14-acre corn maze, hayride, pumpkins, play area, and farm animals. Admission is charged for the corn maze and for the hayride, with children 5 and under free.
Shaw Farms - www.shawfarms.com. 1737 Ohio 131, Milford (513-575-2022). This is one of our favorite places to visit in the fall since they have the cutest handmade displays featuring pumpkin characters and they also have hayrides with bluegrass music on the weekends. There's hands-on entertainment for children, including Aladdin's Castle, a Cinderella coach, face painting and an interactive playground. Tractor-drawn and horse-drawn hayrides are available on the weekends. Scheduled field trips are also available. The best thing is that it's FREE (except for the hayrides). Their hayrides are well worth it - they have horse-drawn as well as tractor driven wagon rides and it is a nice long enjoyable ride!
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FARMS WORTH DRIVING TO: Young's Jersey Dairy Farm - www.youngsdairy.com. 6880 Springfield-Xenia Road, Yellow Springs (937) 325-0629. I've wanted to visit this farm ever since I read an article about it but we just haven't got there. There website makes it look like such a fun place. They have a petting zoo, mini-golf called Udders & Pudders, an ice cream shop, a new ride call moovers & shakers (like a mini train), the Golden Jersey Inn where you can get down home cooked food, so much more. They have an annual fall festival but it looks like they have programs and things do throughout the year! They are open every day but Christmas Day and some of their things to do are seasonal so make sure you check out their website for more information.
Sunrock Family Farm - www.sunrockfarm.org. 103 Gibson Lane, Wilder KY. 41076 (859-781-5502). I've also read about Sunrock and have seen some of their animals at local events but we haven't made it to KY to check it out yet. They are an educational farm and they offer a lot of programs so check out their website but one thing that caught my eye was their "Family Tour".
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You may only think of visiting some of our local farms in the fall, but some are open year-round or at least when the weather gets warmer. There are so many farms close to Mason Ohio and Greater Cincinnati to visit. I think children really enjoy farm adventures - they get to see up close what a cow, pig, goat or sheep looks like; they can see how food actually comes from crops; and they get to be outdoors. It's a great combination (of course, wear old shoes or boots since you may also find yourself in some mud).
Bonnybrook Farms
Schappacher Farm - 3829 South US Route 42, Mason, OH. Phone: 513-398-0904. I love this farm especially in the fall. If your kids are in the Mason school district, they've probably been here on a field trip. I think it's great. It's on a smaller scale so it's easy to walk around. They have goats, horses, donkeys and cows to see. During their fall festival, they have a corn maze, and you can take a wagon ride to the pumpkin patch to pick out a pumpkin. There is a small little store where they sell pumpkins, apple cider and some treats. Open daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Black Barn
What can be better than some home grown fruits and vegetables? The summer is prime-time to enjoy all that our local farmers have to offer. Let's show them our support! Yum Yum! 
