Published on: Wednesday, April 15, 2009

By Nancy Royden

Seven-year-old Cameran Thompson of Charles County had the chance recently to “ooh” and “aah” at a big turkey and brightly colored peacock at the Old Maryland Farm in Upper Marlboro.

Nestled in a portion of the Watkins Regional Park, the farm’s sights of Polish crested roosters, pot-bellied pigs, sheep, llamas, ponies and other creatures provide not only cool views, but the experience is educational as well.

“We get a lot of kids here who have never seen a farm. Their eyes just pop,” Nicole Patterson, facility director of OMF, said. “We’re an educational farm. We do Maryland curriculum-based programs.”

Patterson said another barn is being built at The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and Prince George’s County Department of Parks & Recreations’ farm to give the facility more space.

The farm is well received by students who tour it and young people from day camps, Patterson said.

“We have a lot of day camps that come through here. A lot of our programs are affordable. They get farm experience,” she said.

Some of the things visitors to the farm might enjoy include a butterfly and humming bird garden, an herb garden and a gift shop.

One feature of the farm is its introduction to children’s horsemanship classes.

The program is for 4- to 8-year-old kids. They learn about horse behavior, safety, basic body parts, mounting and basic riding skills and grooming. A session is one 45-minute class once a week for a month. Reservations are required for this course, and the fee is $80 per session.

Patterson said the horsemanship program the farm has is a nice, inexpensive way to find out whether children are interested in continuing to learn more about horses and riding them.

In the coming weeks, there are different events for participants of all ages, and Patterson said they are available at little or no charge.

Patterson said group programs include topics such as ponies, livestock, llamas and sheep and gardens. Reservations are required for groups, and there is a $2 fee per person for ages five and older. Groups may have no more than 30 participants and chaperones are required.

On April 25, the farm will host its Shearing and Fiber Day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be sheep and llama shearing, wool spinning, a cotton display and other activities.

Patterson said the shearing event is nice because it gives people an opportunity to see things first-hand.

“We keep wool for a demonstration and will have a spinning demonstration,” she said.

There is no charge for the event.

Patterson said the farm’s livestock program is interesting for some visitors.

The “Learn about Livestock” class includes a guided tour of the farm and participants learn about the animals’ origins, characteristics and habits. Information about their importance to people is also reviewed. An animal care demonstration is also part of the event.

The “Llamas and Sheep” program educates people about the origins, characteristics and care needs of the animals. Participants learn about wool and hair harvesting used to make clothing, which is included in a demonstration. The class lasts for 30 minutes.

In the guided garden tour, participants learn about plants used in a farm setting, greenhouses, plant structures, composting and different types of gardens. This is a 30-minute program.

Pony rides and hayrides are two popular activities at the farm.

Pony rides are $3 per rider for those who are at least two years old. Hayrides are $1 per rider. Groups of 15 children or more are asked to reserve special times to complete their rides other than during public sessions.

Daily events at the farm include public pony rides on a portion of Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Public hayrides are available on a portion of Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The farm is closed Mondays.

There are different packages and prices for parties that include hayrides or pony rides.

For more information about the farm, call 301-218-6770. Visit http://www.pgparks.com/places/nature/oldmd.html.