By Suzanne Rhodes
Photos by Wayne Rhodes
Official Kids Mag
Fall has swept in on a carpet of colorful
leaves and as always, it brings an endless
variety of attractions for kids.
Official Kids Mag took a ride on
that autumn carpet over to Farmland
Adventures in Springdale to see what
excitement awaits us there.
As we enter the farm owned and
worked for five generations by the
Parsons family, we're given a downhome
greeting from Mrs. Parsons and treated
to the delicious smells of kettle corn and
hay wafting our way. There's SO much to
see and do.
We pass by kids having fun on pony
rides, but the attraction that wins our
hearts first is a gentle giant named
Samson. Samson is a Belgian draft horse
and one of 14 different types of animals
in the petting zoo. He's about 18 hands
tall—that's around 6 feet at the withers,
or tallest point. And what a handsome
horse he is, with his caramel coloring, his
long, flowing mane and forelock (bangs),
and huge hooves. Best of all, he lets
you pat and stroke him as 14-year-old
Madison of Bentonville likes to do. "I love
this horse!" she announces.
Another horse—well, not actually a
horse but a zonkey named Zoey that's
part zebra, part donkey—is totally
fascinating. We see other exotic animals
like Watusi cattle from Africa and a
Brahma bull named Dink (he loves for
you to pet him). A little girl named Avery
exclaims, "Look at the bull swinging his
big horns!"
Other animals include llama, sheep,
goats, calves, a mule, pigs, and donkeys.
You can feed most of them with special
food that's available. Sydnie Parsons is in
Hay
Bales
of fun
8 • OctObeR 2020 • Officialkidsmag.com
