Overlook Farm in Rutland: Worth a Trip!

Last Tuesday, I was itching to do something different with my 3-year-old twins and 6-year-old kindergartener when I received an e-mail from a friend that Heifer International's Overlook Farm in Rutland was having an open house. An afternoon on a farm full of baby animals? Homemade cookies and milk? It's free? How could we resist!
Our Heifer volunteer, Anna, introduced us to the resident animals which include sheep, cows, dogs, chickens, llamas, a camel, goats, and a donkey. We learned interesting details such as why animals chew their cud and why sheep tails get "docked." We saw the site of the barn that was tragically destroyed by a fire last year and felt sorry for the animals who could not be saved. We hoped the animals would get a new barn soon. Our hearts also went out to a baby pig we named "Wilbur." Sadly, he was struggling since being abandoned at the Farm. We looked for Charlotte.
We warmed up in the gift shop full of unique items from around the world as we enjoyed our homemade cookies and milk.
Then, we were treated to a surprise. There was a book signing for the New York Times bestselling children's book, Beatrice's Goat. And guess who was signing the book? Beatrice herself!
That's when the connections started happening for my 6-year-old. She listened to Beatrice, who is now a young woman in college, talk about her childhood full of poverty in Uganda. Her family was only able to send her to school and build a new house after they received a goat from Heifer International.
My daughter realized that the little goats she had petted were actually going to be sent to needy families across the globe. The goats, and other animals, would save families from hunger and poverty by providing milk, labor, offspring, and more.
We went home and read Beatrice's Goat (it's wonderful) and went online to www.heifer.org to see how we could help. We were surprised that buying a goat for a deserving family would cost us only $120. We thought we could save our change.
It was such an uplifting, educational, and fun outing! When it's warmer, we will return to visit the animals and to explore the Global Village which shows what actual homes look like around the world.
On a nice day, pack a picnic and take a drive to the farm, but before you go, be sure to read Beatrice's Goat.
Overlook is FREE to the public and open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for visitors to take self-guided tours, watch a video, visit the gift shop, picnic, etc. They recommend you call ahead or stop by the office first. For more information, visit www.heifer.org/ (Click "Learning Centers" under "Learn") or call 508-886-2221.
An International Fair ideal for families is planned for June 23 & 24.

Top Secret Personal Beeswax: Junie B. Jones Show!

BOSTON - My 5-year-old daughter is obsessed with Junie B Jones. She discovered the chapter books in November and read her first one in just three hours. (She's a bookworm, like her mom is a news junkie.) So when, I heard that there was a traveling theatre company producing a one-hour Junie show, I had to get tickets. It didn't hurt that Bay State Parent magazine also produces a fabulous Field Trip Guide for teachers & PTOs. (Visit www.massfieldtrips.com for more school field trip ideas.)
So today, at showtime I wasn't sure what to expect ... The 60-minute production is fantastic. (If you can get tickets to the March 19 Worcester show, get them! -- www.theatreworksusa.org) In the show, Junie B. (The B stands for Beatrice, and she doesn't like it, so she goes by B.) is now entering first-grade. She finds that her two "bestest" friends (Lucille & Grace) from kindergarten have new friends. Now, Junie B. needs to make new friends, cope with getting glasses (purple ones), survive a stint as an assistant to the lunchlady, who makes fabulous sugar cookies; and standout during the kick-ball tournament after hurting her toe kicking a watering can.

The 10 a.m. show today at the Berklee Perfomance Center was packed with school children (Tewksbury, Revere, etc). Most of the TheatreworksUSA shows cater to field trips - few families attend as performances are typically during school hours.

That's too bad as this show is wonderfully staged, filled with fun, laughter, and toe-tapping music. (My daughter has been singing Top-Secret Personal Beeswax the rest of the day.) The small cast does a terrific job with multiple roles.

The New York-based TheatreworksUSA did an enjoyable job of bringing Barbara Park's famous bus-riding first grader to life.

This show (and the rest of the company's schedule) is unquestionably family-friendly and VERY cost affordable at just $10 a ticket ($7 for groups 15+).

Most of the theatrical performances are ideal for elementary-aged children, but a couple are great for middle schoolers, including The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere and The Color of Justice.

There are shows in Boston at Berklee Performance Center, in Worcester at Mechanics Hall, and in Providence, R.I. at the VMA Arts & Cultural Center. (So almost anywhere in Eastern or Central Massachusetts, there is a show about 30 miles away.) Other productions include Charlotte's Web, Seussical, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, and several others.

Again, I just wish TheatreworksUSA offered family-friendly shows in Massachusetts on weeknights and weekends, so that everyone could enjoy the fun!

For now, you can either pull your child out of school, like I did today, or encourage (and help) your child's teacher to plan a field trip.

- Susan