As always, we promise to do our very best to help make your visit to GANYARD HILL FARM a successful, fun, learning farm experience for both you and your students.
GANYARD HILL FARM IS LOCATED AT 319 Sherron Rd., Durham, 27703. You enter the farm at the intersection of Sherron Rd. and Hocutt Rd. At the intersection, turn onto the gravel portion of Hocutt Rd., then make an immediate right turn into the grassy field used for parking. Directions and a map can be found on our website: www.pumpkincountry.com.
UPON ARRIVAL AT GANYARD HILL FARM our staff will assist you in locating a parking spot. If this is your first visit to GANYARD HILL FARM (this is our 3rd year in the new location), our staff will point you in the direction of check-in. Please proceed to check-in and purchase your admission stickers. You may collect money from parents in advance for their admission or you can let parents pay us individually for their admission upon arrival. Once you have received your admission stickers please place them on the front of the students’ and your clothing so they are visible. You may then enter the farm tour area.
YOUR FARM TOUR is self-guided and may be conducted in any order you please. The following list describes the events on your farm tour:
1. a hayride tour of the farm
2. a trip through our pumpkin patch, where each participant will select his or her own pumpkin to take home
3. a visit to the Ganyard Barnyard complete with free food to give the always hungry and appreciative farm animals
4. a corn field maze that winds over ½ mile (while in the corn field maze kids are encourage to pick some corn from the corn stalk, take it to the animal pen, remove the shucks, and shell it in the old fashioned hand-crank shellers and feed it to the animals)
5. a hay maze
6. a giant haystack (hay mountain) which kids can climb and play on
7. a snack of fruit drink and cookies or crackers in or spacious picnic area
8. a pumpkin farm coloring book
You will also have the opportunity to view several educational stations full of fun farm facts. Students, and children of all ages, will be able to answer questions such as: How much milk does a cow make per day? How many miles of bee flight does it take to make an ounce of honey? How many eggs does a chicken lay per day? What is the life cycle of the pumpkin plant? And more!
Though your tour is a self-guided please feel free to ask our staff for assistance at any time. You may want to start your adventure with you fun hayride trip around the farm, the barnyard, the corn field maze, or even somewhere else. We find that many teachers like to pick their pumpkins at the end of the tour in order to take them directly to the bus.
WE HAVE TOILET FACILITIES AND HAND WASHING STATIONS at several locations around the farm.
We encourage you to discuss safety with your students, and we’ve offered some suggestions for organizing your field trip on our website under “Just for Teachers”.
PRICES AND PAYMENT TERMS: Admission is $10.00 each, per child and per parent. With admission, parents may participate in their child’s total experience at Ganyard Hill Farm, including a complimentary Ganyard Hill Farm pumpkin. We allow 1 free teacher admission per class of 10 students or fewer, 2 free teacher admissions per class of 11-20 students and 3 free teacher admissions per class of 21 or more students. Each teacher admission includes 1 complimentary Ganyard Hill Farm pumpkin. We prefer that you bring your payment with you to farm. However, we will invoice you for later payment if this is more convenient. MasterCard, Visa, checks made payable to Ganyard Hill Farm, or cash are all accepted.
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO BRING A PICNIC LUNCH if possible and hang around for a while. We have no time limit on your stay, and want it to be a relaxing and enjoyable experience with hopes you will plan to come back many more times. Please let us know any time you have questions or suggestions about the farm, farm life, the field trip program, etc.
YOU MAY WISH TO SHARE OUR WEB ADDRESS WITH YOUR PARENTS, www.pumpkincountry.com , and download the coloring sheet as a take-home activity. As always, dress for the weather (rain boots are especially helpful if there’s been a recent rain).
If you need anything at all, or have any questions, please contact us either by email (mganyard@nc.rr.com) or by phone ((919) 596-8728). We’re all looking forward to seeing you this season!!
Farmer Ganyard