From Goats to Growing Minds: Spring at Gifford Farm
By Mary Mitzlaff, BELLEVUE, Neb. — With spring in full bloom, Gifford Farm is welcoming the public every Monday for a hands-on outdoor experience designed for visitors of all ages.
Located in Bellevue and operated by Educational Service Unit 3, Gifford Farm serves more than 30,000 guests each year. The farm is now open every Monday from 10 a.m. to noon through May, offering opportunities to interact with animals, explore nature, and learn through play.
Elaine Swanson, Gifford Program Team Leader, said the experience is especially valuable for children growing up in an increasingly digital world.
“They’re looking at screens; they’re seeing some cool videos of cats or llamas or goats. But this is hands-on. This is real life. I think kids need to be outdoors,” Swanson said.
Visitors can expect up-close encounters with animals such as goats and baby chicks, along with hayrack rides and access to the farm’s Outdoor Nature Classroom.
“If you can get in with a goat and touch their horns and see what their hair feels like, it’s holding a baby chick. Those are the experiences that we love to be able to be a part of,” Swanson said.
Gifford Farm offers more than just animal encounters. Its outdoor education programs cover subjects ranging from agriculture and history to science and astronomy.
“We started with a fall festival and invited people down to the farm and just realized how much they loved to be here,” said Nancy Williams, former farm director and current outdoor educator.
“So then that grew into a trick-or-treat event down here, and then a spring festival and now open House Mondays.”
From close-up animal encounters to hayrack rides, Gifford Farm is where education, nature, and community truly come together.
For more information about Gifford Farm’s events and programs, visit their website here!
