Our Animals
FREE-RANGE CHICKENS
Our flock of laying hens roams freely across pasture, scratching for insects and fertilizing as they go. Visitors can help with morning egg collection and learn about the full cycle of ethical egg production—from feed and water to nest boxes and predator protection. There’s magic in reaching into a nest box and feeling the warmth of a just-laid egg.
HONEYBEES
Our apiary houses several thriving hives that pollinate our gardens while producing golden raw honey. During appropriate seasons, we offer hive observations where you can witness the extraordinary organization of a bee colony and understand why these remarkable insects matter so deeply to our food systems.
DIARY GOATS
Our small herd of dairy goats provides fresh milk for cheese-making and handcrafted soaps. Gentle and personable, goats teach patience and routine as students learn proper milking techniques and animal care. Their playful nature makes them the favorite farm residents, especially with younger visitors.
COMPOSTING WORMS
In our vermiculture facility, red wiggler worms transform kitchen scraps and farm waste into nutrient-rich fertilizer. This closed-loop system demonstrates how nature recycles everything, while also producing protein-rich fishing bait—showing how good design creates multiple benefits from single systems.
Our Garden
HIGH TUNNEL PRODUCTION
Season-extending high tunnels allow us to grow vegetables and berries nearly year-round. Students participate in planting, tending, and harvesting, learning the satisfaction of eating food they’ve grown with their own hands. Our production methods emphasize soil health, water conservation, and chemical-free growing.
BERRY PATCHES
Strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries provide sweet rewards for young farmers and lessons in perennial crop management, pruning, and wildlife sharing (because the birds enjoy berries too!)
SONGBIRD SANTUARY
Dedicated habitat restoration areas throughout our property support native birds, butterflies, and beneficial insects. Observation stations allow quiet watching and species identification. We maintain nest box trails and participate in citizen science projects that contribute to wildlife monitoring efforts. Here, students learn that conservation begins with creating habitat and paying attention to the wild neighbors all around us.
POLLINATOR GARDENS
Native wildflowers and herbs attract butterflies, native bees, and hummingbirds while providing sensory experiences and medicinal plant education. These gardens demonstrate how beauty and function unite in thoughtful design.
Every aspect of Carter's Family Farm functions as an integrated educational ecosystem, where animals, plants, and people work together in harmony.