Join the excitement at Amazing Acres Farm as we celebrate Take A Child Outside Week, September 22-28, 2008. Take A Child Outside Week is an international program designed to help break down obstacles that keep children from discovering the natural world. Amazing Acres Farm is excited to be one of the partners as we encourage children to "Get Outside and Learn!" This program has been initiated by the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and held in cooperation with partner organizations across the U.S. and Canada.

In mid-September Amazing Acres Farm is host to hundreds of visitors participating in the CFSA Eastern Triangle Farm Tour. The tour of 16 farms, sponsored by Whole Foods, gives the public the opportunity to reconnect with where their food comes from. Amazing Acres Farm along with Pleasant Gardens is proud to support CFSA's mission to promote local and organic agriculture in the Carolinas by inspiring, educating and organizing farmers and consumers.

Our experience with special needs preschool classes, autistic elementary school classes and residents in assisted living homes has inspired us to create a program where animals can enhance the healing and rehabilitation of patients with acute or chronic diseases. Our hope is to provide animals for therapists to use in goal directed treatment sessions to facilitate optimal patient outcomes in speech, occupational, physical and psychological therapies.

Amazing Acres Farm is honored to work with NC State University to provide an educational opportunity to University Honors Students and University Scholars Students. Students pursuing honors credit fulfill requirements set forth in contracts by volunteering at Amazing Acres Farm, educating children and adults during our programs. This Honors Opportunity complements student's academic goals in subjects such as animal science, education, business, marketing and recreation. We help students of all ages develop the capacity for self-reflection and independent and collaborative learning.

Amazing Acres is proud to tell you that we conform to USDA standards of animal care, practive and management and are licensed as an Animal Exhibitor. All commercial exhibitors of animals (petting farms, zoos, aquariums) require a license by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) under the Animal Welfare Act (7 u.S.C. 2131, et seq.).

The certification process includes a USDA Inspector's review of all animal health care records and unannounced farm visits to review the living condition and daily routine care given to the animals. Amazing Acres Farm, inc. has passed all USDA inspections! That's because we're always up to date on all animal health care and provide the nicest, cleanest living conditions to be found on any farm.

Before you hire any "petting zoo" company, ALWAYS make sure they are USDA certified and can prove it -- this protects you, the health and safety of the children, and ensure that you are not supporting farms that provide substandard care for their animals.