On a recent road trip through our nation's "Corn Belt", I had the wonderful opportunity to tour an attraction I have been reading about for several years. It is called Fair Oaks Farm ( fofarms.com ), and is located between Chicago and Indianapolis, just off I-65, in Fair Oaks, Indiana. 
Since part of the mission of Fair Oaks Farm involves education, this photo shows the exterior of one of the event buildings that can be used to host a variety of educational activities, for a large number of people.
This 
I had the blessing of meeting Sharon St. Myers, who is the contact person for groups that might be interested in visiting Fair Oaks Farm. Her official title is Adventure Sales Manager, and you can email her ( stmyers@fofarms.com ) to get assistance in making your visit as enjoyable as possible. (Notice the shovel and pitch-fork door handles that she is grasping. Decorative touches like this---all reflecting a farm theme--can be found throughout the property.) 
As my wonderful tour guide and I strolled down this covered, sunny walkway to get to the adjoining lodging property, I was thinking of how she was accomplishing the duties of her position, with such grace and ease. It reminded me of one of my First Place 4 Health ( www.FirstPlace4Health.com ) memory verses that says, "And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14
As you can see from this photo, the Fairfield Inn & Suites, by Marriott, has an exterior design of an 80 foot contemporary barn, with an adjoining single-story "milking parlor". The single-story wing has an indoor pool and fitness center. The hotel has two large "silos", filled with unique guest suites, topped with hand-crafted weather vanes. The part of the hotel designed to look like silos, houses a bridal suite, business suite, and a family bunk house. 
Another stop on our walking tour was the Birthing Barn. I had seen news stories on television telling about this aspect of Fair Oaks Farms, and frankly, that is what initially sparked my interest about this place! The news stories say guests can actually sit in a viewing area, and observe a cow deliver a calf---from start to finish. And, just as promised, I was able to see just that! In this photo, the birthing assistant is administering to the needs of the newborn calf, as the mama cow lays back and starts the recovery process. 
After we left the Birthing Barn, we went by the Pork exhibit. As someone who worked in the field of foods and nutrition throughout my career, it was not surprising to me that the topic of pork production would be addressed. One is certainly aware that there is an increase in the use of bacon on restaurant menus, as well as home recipes. And to get real bacon, you need pigs----lots of them! This trend towards increased bacon consumption in the United States is interesting, since the marketing phrase for the hog industry back in the last century was "Pork---the OTHER white meat." The phrase was meant to capitalize on the trend at the time, of reducing red meat consumption, and increasing poultry consumption, i.e. "white meat". If you take the Pig Adventure, there is a whole new language you will learn! Words like barrow, boar, sow, gilt, farrow, and litter will be some terms you can add to your vocabulary!
After walking around the front part of the Fair Oaks Farms, it was time to board the bus, to start the "behind the scenes" tour called, "The Dairy Adventure." (As you can see from the photo, the vehicle is painted in a striking black/white dairy cow motif. Also noteworthy, is the fact that there are buses available with wheelchair lifts. )
The bus drives right down the center of the dairy barn, where the cows are eating the hay, and drinking the water in a clean, climate-controlled environment. This photo shows that the bus passenger has an expansive view, even though they are looking through the windshield of the bus. 
This photo shows the electric fans, mounted on metal posts on the right side, that help with the ventilation of the barn, and increase cow comfort. 
Our 
This rotary concept is based on an idea that was first conceived in the early 1900's. A Rotolactor was the first invention for milking a large number of cows, using a rotating platform. It was invented in 1913 before World War I, but put on hold, due to the war. After that, the Borden Company provided $200,000 in 1929 to build the first large scale Rotolactor. The Rotolactor brings cows into position, so that their teats may be hooked up to an automatic milking machine. With the improved technology available today, at Fair Oaks Farm each cow is tagged, and its milk production can be assessed, because the milking machine automatically recognizes the cow's identifying tag. The milk goes directly from the cow's udder, into a milk holding tank, without ever being touched by human hands. This greatly reduces the chance of harmful bacteria coming in contact with the milk. 
As the milk is carried through the pipes, to the holding tanks, it is being cooled by the special refrigeration properties of the pipes. From the holding tanks, the milk goes to 18-wheeler, refrigerated tanker trucks, that are waiting to receive it, and deliver it across the nation. And, each step of this is automated and temperature controlled, to protect the quality of the milk.. It is an amazing technological achievement!
After completing the Dairy Adventure, I went to the Fair Oaks Farms gift shop, which has an immense array of dairy-themed gifts and decor.
In the Cowfe that is adjacent to the gift shop, one can buy cheeses, ice cream, and the "almost" famous grilled cheese, along with other sandwiches, soups, and salads. (Some of these products are also available at the "Dairycatessen", located within the BP gas station at the Interstate exit that leads to Fair Oaks Farms.) 
This is also the area where you can look down upon the gigantic tanks used for making yogurt and other dairy products made at Fair Oaks. There is no admission charge to view the processing equipment seen in this photo, as they are visible through a glass wall, adjacent to the gift shop and "Cow-fe". There is also another restaurant on the property that is open to the public, without an admission charge. It is called The Farmhouse Restaurant.
To my great delight, one of the products Fair Oaks Farms makes and sells is ICE CREAM, and it was a delicious treat to get to sample some of the many flavors available!
This is also the place one can find "Fairlife". Fairlife is a brand of ultra-filtered milk, distributed in the U.S. and Canada by Coca Cola's Minute Maid Division. The ultrafiltration process removes the lactose and much of the sugar ; it leaves behind more of the protein and calcium. It is marketed as "a dairy option sourced from sustainable family farms", and costs about twice as much as regular milk. It is understandable why Coca Cola would need to get into the nutritional drink business, since soda sales fell to a 19 year low in 2013, as Americans try to get away from sugary soft drinks. 
The corn stalks and grain silo shown in this photo are a reminder to mention that Fair Oaks Farms also offers the Winfield Crop Adventure, where you experience modern crop farming. Participants learn how weather affects crop growth, as well as learning about farming from all over the world. Winfield United is the business division of Land O' Lakes, a member-owned agricultural cooperative, based in Minnesota. It focuses on data-backed, in-sight driven agronomic excellence, and is committed to advancing sustainability. As the world population grows, so does the need for increased food production. It is hoped that this agritourism sight can help spur an interest in agriculture, that will cause more young people to go into that field.
This visit to Fair Oaks Farms brought to mind the Biblical phrase, "Oaks of righteousness", as mentioned in Isaiah 61:3(b) . It says, ".........that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified." Hopefully, this blog post will spur your interest in planning a visit to the nation's number one agritourism destination, that has earned the ABA (American Bus Association) honor of being named "Best of the Best"! Besides the website listed in the first paragraph, you can phone them toll-free at 877-536-1194.
I am very thankful for the work being done at Fair Oaks Farms. Seeing this amazing attraction "up close and personal", gave me "MILES OF SMILES"! Tricia
