Where does the food on our plates come from? This thoughtful question usually gets asked by curious kids at some point during one of their many mealtimes. And the best way to answer it is to bring them out to the farms where they can see how food is grown and harvested before it gets stocked in our refrigerators.
After scouring Beijing, we found two well-kept farms that invite guests to pick their own produce, including seasonal fruits like strawberries and persimmons. We also saw vegetables such as carrots and lettuces and beetroots. One of the most compelling arguments for getting produce from these farms is that they pride themselves on organic farming and do not spray harmful pesticides on their crops. Prices start from RMB 10 for a pound, but you can’t put a price on the joy the kids will get from harvesting their own food!
The first farm is located within Shunyi District, just over an hour’s drive from downtown Bei-jing. 绿谷良田亲子农场 (lǜ gǔ liángtián qīnzǐ nóngchǎng) Lugu Liangtian Parent and Child Farm is much more than just a farm, with a vast expanse of grassy fields where families can rent a tent and stay for a night, or just the day. Aside from the fresh fruit picking, activities include barbecues, fishing, and a cornfield maze! There are also ATVs for the kids to drive, plus a playground with a mini-pool and paddle boats. The best part is that it costs just RMB 30 per adult and RMB 15 per child to rent the tent for the day.
A bit further northeast, beyond Shunyi and nestled in the heart of Miyun District, lies 金樱谷开心农场 (jīn yīng gǔ kāixīn nóngchǎng), aka Golden Sakura Valley Happy Farm. This farm is a two-hour drive out and could be parlayed into an overnight stay because there is a full day’s worth of nature exploration and farm activities to run the whole family ragged. Plus, the farm is located close to the Miyun reservoir, which boasts some spectacular natural scenes as well. If you’re a nature lover, you’ll definitely enjoy a hike out there.
When you first arrive on Happy Farm any time of the year, you will be greeted by an enormous pile of their freshly plucked produce and the sweet smell of grilled corn.
I also recall the cute playground with two slides built into the hillside that the kids slid down so many times I’m surprised their pants weren’t full of holes by the end of the day. For a small fee, kids can hop aboard a rustic train pulled by a tractor and go around the mountainside. There was also a mini hay bale maze with wooden carts that my husband and I used to race the other parents. They won, if you must know.
There are plenty of animal-related activities on Happy Farm too. You can ride miniature horses around the entire premises, which is pretty huge, for an additional fee. There was also a little stream set up in the midst of the field of crops, where the kids could catch small fish using pails and nets. You are allowed to bring home whatever you catch, though we chose to return our fish back to the stream.
It is best to leave before 4pm if you are simply making a day trip out of it, for traffic definitely worsens after that. Don’t forget to pick up your produce before you leave!
Locations
Lügu Liangtian Parent and Child Farm 绿谷良田亲子农场
Guangming Lu, Miyun District 光明大街洛娃农场旁Golden Sakura Valley Happy Farm 金樱谷开心农场
Xiwengzhuangzhen Jinpoluocun, Miyun District 溪翁庄镇金叵罗村龟山
This article appeared in the jingkids 2021 September-October issue
