Wow, we were lucky to have one of the sunniest, warmest, Fall days to go to the farm. It was my first visit to Valley View and I was impressed. More importantly, the kids would probably give it 4 thumbs up, if they fully understood what exactly it meant to do so. The truth is we stayed longer than we expected and there was a whole lot of protest when it was finally time to leave.
When we arrived, we quickly learned what exactly the "valley view" was. For being so close to the city, the look out onto the valley of corn fields was refreshing. Being an Ottawa Valley girl (Calabogie/Burnstown) originally, it's always nice to get back to my country roots. As you enter into the farm you quickly realize it's harvest time, because you pass by the silos processing the corn silage. In all honesty, it was a wee bit loud, but I was able to quickly tune it out.
In the main building you can find washrooms, a cafe/gift shop, a covered picnic area and there's also a meet up section for groups where a farm video or puppet show is played. I highly recommend using the bathrooms before you go off and wander. We were in the outdoor play structure area and I experienced first hand a happily playing, potty training child, who accidentally opted for "#2" in her pants. If that didn't come with refusing to walk in those soiled pants, along with pushing my son in a fully loaded stroller, I may not have found it so annoying to have to walk back over to the main building. It really isn't that far to go, but with so many people around and dealing with a potential mess, it is always nice to have the option of a sink, water and paper towel.
Back at the main building you head left to tour the farm. If you name the farm animal you'd like to see, it's probably at Valley View, from cows to horses, ducks to peacocks and much more.
You'll also find the Old Farm Museum on-site which has farm equipment and unique antiques from the 1800's and up.
The biggest hit of our day was the play area. Even with a couple bus loads full of children and their parents, the play area had so much to offer that there was never a wait or a fight over using any of the various slides or wood structures such as the ship, airplane, and fort. Even some of our youngest KOHORT participants were thrilled to enjoy one of the tractor tires to hang out and play in.
We packed a picnic lunch, which we ate in the sheltered area. I was also curious about what the cafe had to offer so we went in for a Popsicle. If you choose to eat they have a few grab and go options like sandwiches, muffins and some seasonal treats, such as Halloween themed cookies, which I saw some youngsters munching on. You can also order hot food like fries, grilled cheese, or soup and they will bring it to your table once it is ready.
After lunch we had planned to take the free train ride tour of the farm, but we got carried away back at the play area and missed the ride that is offered 3 times per day on week-days and every hour on week-ends. That's something we'll look forward to on our next visit. We were also happy to see that another playground is in the works for the future.
Overall, among the KOHORT members that attended, the consensus seemed to be that this was a great outing option. One member suggested it may not have been as fun if we had rain or cooler temperatures given the time of year and I agree. Certainly, the Autumn season is hit and miss but worth it even if you come out to purchase a pumpkin and stay for an hour or so. The fact that it's reasonably priced is a bonus, and if you do like it alot, they offer a "Frequent Farm Visitor Pass" - every 8 admissions paid gets 2 free admissions.
You can find more Valley View Little Animal Farm information by clicking on this website link below.
