CALHOUN, La. (KTVE/KARD) — There is a farm in Calhoun where they let people pick their own fresh seasonal produce.
Indian Village Harvest Farm brings a whole new meaning to “farm to table.” They invite the public to come be a part of the harvesting experience.
“I say it all the time, everyone wants to be a farmer without having to farm. You have that opportunity to do that here,” said William Cook, part owner of Indian Village Harvest Farm.
The farm has “U-pick” days, where you, the consumer, get the chance to pick and choose your own fruits and vegetables from the field. Eight years ago, the farm only had 2,000 strawberry plants but this year the field is bigger than ever.
“So this year we are at 25,000 strawberry plants. That is more than we have ever grown. We’ve got one variety that has 12,000 plants, it is a very high producer. Then we have 13,000 other plants that we are experimenting with for the future,” said Cook.
Fun at the farm doesn’t stop there. Cook has found a way to cultivate farm-based entertainment that’s perfect for the whole family. You can expect to find a petting zoo, a playground, an educational hayride, homemade strawberry ice cream and a variety of fruit jams.
“We love seeing all the smiling faces and the crying kids when they have to go home. It just warms our hearts,” said Cook.
While picking your own strawberries at Indian Village Harvest Farm is a lot of fun, It also provides a day of learning for kids and even adults. Some may even say it’s school outside the classroom.
“We teach the kids how to plant seeds and tell them about germination, photosynthesis, and stuff that has kind of been forgotten about. A lot of parents come back a year later and talk about how they had to go back and build a garden for their kids because we taught them a little about farming,” said Cook.
Knowing and understanding where your food comes from is something that is highlighted at the farm.
“Agriculture is a really big deal anywhere in the world. It’s extremely important that we continue to do this just on the aspect that we grow food here, we won’t survive without food,” said Cook.
If you can’t make a trip to North Louisiana this month, no worries. Indian Village Harvest Farm caters to all seasons of the year. In the summer, you can find freshly grown peaches and a “U-pick” vegetable garden.
“Also about that time we get into our vegetable season with corn, peas, okra, all kind of beans, and peppers. Anything you see at the supermarket we are usually growing them here,” said Cook.
In the fall pumpkin season takes over with a huge pumpkin patch, daily hayrides and a fall-flavored ice cream. In the winter, they hope to have a Christmas tree farm.
