Our Farm Hands tour has been very enlightening.  We toured 3 dairy farms, a horse farm and now Fort Rickey Children's Discovery Zoo.  Owner, Leonard Cross gives us the history of the zoo. 

Fort Rickey has been a part of Central New York for 43 years, with Len Cross and his wife operating the facilities for 37 years.  Fort Rickey has a good size staff, many of whom are students studying in the agriculture field.

If your like me, you would have never equated farming to a zoo, but after Polly and I spent a morning helping prepare for the day's opening, the morning chores may be even more intense than a typical farm.  In addition to feeding the animals to start the day, there's preparing their habitat for the zoo's daily visitors.

During our morning visit, there were three school classes on a field trip and four families touring the grounds. While all the animals are friendly because of all the interaction with people, it's the interaction with people that brings a whole new aspect to this type of farming.  As Len says, "Fort Rickey's product isn't milk or meat, it's family fun."  And there was plenty of that to go around for all ages.

Watch our complete interview with Len below.  And check out our behind the scenes visit to Fort Rickey.

Thanks to Art White at White's Farm Supply for making our Farm Hands program possible.  And bless you Riverside Diner in Marcy for preparing breakfast for us and our guests each morning.

 

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