Hi, my name is Farmer Julia and I love to be outside, exploring nature. Working at the farm is a perfect fit for me. It’s a wonderful place to watch seedlings grow into the food we eat and to connect with animals large and small. Did you know that petting animals can relieve stress and lower blood pressure?

One of the things the kids love to do when we are in the animal barn is to pet a bunny. This helps them slow down, focus and sense different features of the animal, like the softness of the fur. Some of the kids have bunnies and others wish they did.

But I wanted to go a step further. One season, our hens were happily running free on the farm. I decided it might be fun to compare bunny softness to the softness of chicken feathers. Which do you think would win?

After a few tries, I was able to catch a hen and holding her firmly but gently, allowed those children who wanted to, to pet the hen. It was a new experience for both the children and the hen. She behaved very well despite the circumstances and they enjoyed comparing bunny softness with hen softness. The debate is still on as to who wins. As for me, my fellow farmers now call me ‘the hen whisperer’.

See you at the farm!