Woosley Farm
Tours on the Farm
Animal Safety Rules* Be calm and walk quietly when around the animals. * No running! * Wash hands with soap and water after leaving the barn. * Avoid hand-mouth activity near animals: no eating, drinking, pacifiers, smoking, etc. Remember that with simple precautions, a farm visit is an enjoyable, meaningful and safe experience for young and old. |
Tours are hands-on experiences primarily for elementary students. Other special tours can be arranged, such as tours for special needs children and seniors. The 18th Century living history experiences can be combined with the activities below or brought to your school.
Woosley Farm is a private residence owned and operated by only Wayne and Riely Woosley. We stop farming activities when tours are requested so we need 2-3 days' notice to put away equipment and prepare for your visit. Our space is limited when sharing animals and taking a hayride, so please keep groups to no more than 65 children. Fewer children in a group allows more time with animals and more individual attention from us.
A suggested group size of 40 students allows both Wayne and Riely to work together with the presentation, providing a more relaxed and informative time for you at the farm. For groups of 41-65, everything is still covered in the same period of time, but the group is split in half. The hayride will not hold more than thirty-five to forty people at a time.
Preschool Tour: Meet the Farm
- tour the vegetable garden
- play a game to reinforce the produce, and product association
- learn proper interaction while petting, brushing, and feeding domestic animals
- ride a hay wagon through farm fields, observing changes
- visit a 100-year-old farmhouse, noting changes that have occurred over time such as the addition of water, electricity, bathrooms, and central heat
Kindergarten to First Grade Tour: Plants and Animals
- tour the vegetable garden
- play a game to reinforce the plant, produce, and product association
- learn proper interaction while petting, brushing, and feeding domestic animals
- ride a hay wagon through farm fields, observing changes
- visit a 100-year-old farmhouse, noting changes that have occurred over time such as the addition of water, electricity, bathrooms, and central heat
Second to Third Grade Tour: Soils, Cycles and Seasons
- focus on variety of soil types
- tour the garden and identify common seasonal vegetables at different stages of development
- play a game to reinforce the plant, produce, and product association.
- tour our 100-year-old farm, discovering life without indoor plumbing, electricity, or central heat
- pet, brush, and feed animals, emphasizing their life cycles
- walk and ride through fields and woods making observations
Fourth to Fifth Grade Tour: Walk Back in Time
Presentations can be in 18th century period dress if desired. Living history tour components can be substituted for those listed below.
- discuss past and present land use
- journey through a 100-year-old farm, noting changes caused by the addition of indoor plumbing, electricity, and central heat
- discover early rural twentieth century food preservations techniques including canning, freezing, salting and drying
- note changes in farm equipment, methods of haymaking, and animal care over time
- blaze a trail through woods to find a home site for Colonial settlers
- at the river, find Native American travel, work, and living areas
- learn Colonial crafts and skills
- observe period hunting and survival skills, including loading and firing a flintlock rifle
- See Teacher Resources for additional information.
18th Century Living History Interpretation
Our living history tours are adapted to the needs and desires of your group. Presentations can be in period dress and can be brought to schools or civic groups. We can discuss topics such as:
- everyday life on the frontier
- open fire cooking, including demonstrations
- military life during the French and Indian and Revolutionary Wars
- prominent historical figures of the period
- children's games and toys, some made by the children
- period weaponry demonstrations of black powder rifles and muskets
- weaving
- sewing
- modern figures of speech that came from the 18th century
- learn English Country dancing
Picnics at the farmhouse or beside the Yadkin River can be arranged.
Special programming available upon request. A small additional charge may be necessary for individual items that visitors take home, such as vegetables and craft items.
Arrange a tour of Woosley Farm online by completing a simple one-page form.
For additional information or custom tours, contact Wayne or Riely Woosley at info@woosleyfarm.com.
This program is a work in progress. Comments and suggestions are welcome.
contact Wayne and Riely Woosley:
info@woosleyfarm.com
website maintained by Challe Hudson: webmaster@woosleyfarm.com