Three Days on the Farm: Year 3 & 4 Farm Trip Diary

What happens when learning leaps off the page and into muddy boots, early mornings, and the rhythm of real farm life? This journal-style blog post captures three unforgettable days at Amstutz Family Farm in Elizabeth, Illinois, a working farm where our Year 3 and 4 students trade classrooms for cabins and worksheets for meaningful, hands-on experiences. Known for its immersive, child-centered approach, the farm invites students to care for animals, complete daily chores, and live as part of a small, collaborative community. Told as if from the honest, energetic point of view of our students, this journal reveals why the trip is so much more than a getaway: it’s a rare opportunity for children to build independence, curiosity, and confidence in a setting that feels both adventurous and authentic. It is certainly an experience they will carry with them long after they’ve returned home.

Day 1

• Today started very early at school. At 7:15am we arrived with our bags, ready for our trip to Amstutz Family Farm. Everyone was excited as we loaded the luggage onto the bus and began the journey.

• The bus was full of excited chatter. Everyone talked about cabins, top bunks, snacks, and all the animals we hoped to see.

• When we arrived in Elizabeth, Illinois, the farm looked beautiful. There was a giant red barn beside the road and a farmhouse sitting on a hill surrounded by blue skies and green grass.

• As soon as the bus stopped, Courtney “Rocky” Bartlett climbed aboard shouting, “Hey! Hey! Campers!” and we all shouted back, “Hey! Hey! Rocky!”

• Very quickly we unpacked into our cabins: Cows, Sheep, Goats, Pigs, and Roosters. We also met Beans the farm cat, who stretched out in the middle of the group while we listened to instructions about farm life.

• Lunch was served buffet style at the picnic tables. Everyone laughed, chatted, and happily went back for seconds and thirds.

• After lunch came chores. At home we might complain about washing dishes or sweeping, but at the farm everyone wanted to help. We carried hay bales, cleaned up animal pens and worked together brilliantly.

• The animals quickly became everyone’s favorites:

• Pigs and piglets 

• Goats and baby goats 

• Chickens and geese 

• Fern the cow 

• Beans and Frankie the cats 

• Mica the energetic dog 

• Sammie the gentle thirteen-year-old Labrador 

• We spent the afternoon feeding animals before dinner with our teachers, sharing our favorite moments from the day.

• Later we completed more chores, made our own beds, giggled far too much, and finally fell asleep exhausted after our first day on the farm.

Day 2

• The sun rose at 5:07a.m. and we were all awake with it. The children hurried to get ready while the teachers searched for coffee. The best part of the morning was Free Range time. We could explore the center of the farm and spend time with whichever animals we wanted. Some of us rolled around in the mud with pigs while others cuddled goats or chased chickens around the yard.

• During breakfast, Ed Amstutz, the founder of the farm, asked trivia questions. Anyone with the correct answer got to line up for food first. This would be the popular way to get in line now. 

• After breakfast we helped the farm run smoothly by:

• Cleaning the Hen Hut 

• Washing dishes 

• Sweeping and mopping the barn 

• Weeding the garden 

• Then we split into teams to feed the animals. There were definitely no arguments at all...
• Absolutely none.

• Afterwards we walked to the large field behind the farm to forage for alfalfa. We learned how to identify alfalfa and discovered that goats and geese loved it the most.
• Whenever the big bell rang, everyone followed the four steps to success:

1. Wash your hands 

2. Fill your water bottle 

3. Leave your bottle by the picnic tables 

4. Line up for food 

• One of the biggest lessons from the farm was independence. We learned to think critically, be collaborative, get creative and curious about the world. Every activity helped us grow in confidence.

• After dinner we packed our belongings and joined Rocky’s Chaos Hour. There was dancing, laughing, music, and stories about our favorite farm memories.

Day 3

• For the Year 4 students, Wednesday was our final morning at the farm. We woke up early for one last Free Range session before packing our final belongings and carrying our bags to the barn ready for the bus. Saying goodbye to the animals was much harder than expected.

• For the Year 3 students though, the adventure was only just beginning. Everything felt brand new and exciting as they learned how the farm worked, which animals liked cuddles, and which ones preferred space.

• Over the next three days, the Year 3 students filled their own diaries with adventures just like ours:

• Collecting freshly laid eggs from the Hen Hut 

• Helping Mandy the chef in the kitchen 

• Feeding animals and carrying hay bales 

• Exploring the farm during Free Range 

• Getting muddy, laughing constantly, and learning new skills 

• For Year 3, every moment felt even more exciting because it was all completely new. By the end of their visit, they had fallen in love with the farm just like the Year 4 students had before them. It truly was the best time ever.