As soon as I can smell the wet earth and the sun is still shining at 6pm, I’m ready for a spring farm fix. The FFTC Team’s city kids love the opportunity to visit farms not much further than their urban backyards. They’re excited to meet the fuzzy new arrivals up close — baby lambs, curious chicks, piglets, baby goats and all the rest while playing at farm chores.
Farm life is foreign and exotic to my kids. They, like probably most other children of parents reading this post, have spent their entire (albeit young) lives within the confines of city blocks. And they never tire of opportunities to take a break from the traffic and get a little more rural. Luckily, you don’t have to travel too far to get a taste of the farm in our cities. In some cases, the farm might even be in your own neighborhood. Try visiting one of these spots to play farmer (or pioneer) for the day.
UPCOMING MINNESOTA FARM BABIES EVENTS
Saturday, April 11, 2026
⚈ 9:30 am - 12:00 pm: Saturday Morning on the Farm - Gale Woods Farm, Minnetrista⚈ 10:00 am - 5:00 pm: Spring Babies Festival - Twin Cities Festival, Brooklyn Park
FEATURED FARM BABIES EVENTS THIS WEEK
Saturday Morning on the Farm
Date: 04/11/2026 9:30 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Gale Woods Farm, 7210 County Road 110 West, Minnetrista, MN, 55364
Spring Babies Festival
Date: 04/11/2026 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Location: Twin Cities Festival, 8901 101st Ave N, Brooklyn Park, MN, 55445
FIND FARM BABIES IN THE TWIN CITIES NORTHWEST METRO
Historic Eidem Farm
4345 101st Ave N, Brooklyn Park, MN 55443
ABOUT THE FARM The historic, charming property is a working Victorian-era homestead on ten acres in Brooklyn Park. Families can visit the farmhouse, as well as the barnyard and its animals for educational and hands-on experiences of life on the farm between 1905-1920.
FAMILY ACTIVITIES Kids can often get hands-on in the barn, the farmhouse and in the field, too. Eidem offers a year-round schedule of events (many of them free) that include open gate hours, storytimes, outdoor concerts and festivals in the spring and fall.
OLIVER KELLEY FARM
15788 Kelley Farm Rd, Elk River, MN 55330
ABOUT THE FARM Oliver Kelley Farm is a maintained as a working farm and living museum by the Minnesota Historical Society. The property includes historic buildings (open during programs), a Farm Lab outdoor area, demo gardens and fields, and large visitor center with learning spaces.
FAMILY ACTIVITIES We track family-friendly Kelley Farm events on our Family Fun Calendar, which typically includes a free admission day and a ticketed spring event where you’ll be sure to see some farm animals such as the cuddly one pictured here.
TWIN CITIES HARVEST FESTIVAL’S SPRING BABIES
8901 101st Avenue North, Brooklyn Park, MN
ABOUT THE EVENT Cue up all the sweet farm babies for their debut appearance! Your Spring Babies Festival pass includes all of the core attractions (returning favorites like the gunny sack slide, corn pit, train ride, pedal tracks and more) plus the opportunity to touch and hold fuzzy baby animals: sheep, goats, puppies, llamas, bunnies and more. Festival runs select weekends in April & May; please see our calendar above for dates. Tickets are $18 per person.
FIND FARM BABIES IN THE TWIN CITIES NORTHEAST METRO
Fawn-DOe-ROSA WILDLIFE PARK
2131 US Hwy 8, St. Croix Falls, WI 54024
ABOUT THE FARM Slow your pace and find a peaceful place filled with deer that wander freely and enclosures filled with animals to learn about and feed: goats, cows, pigs, sheep, rabbits, fox, mink, wolves, moose, otters, beavers, and hedgehogs. Pony rides start Memorial Day weekend. Open early May through late October. Admission $11-$12 per person.
TIPS Make a visit to Fawn-Doe-Rosa part of a family day trip to Taylors Falls, Minnesota. There are so many fun things to do in this area along the St Croix River. See our: Top 10 Things To Do In Taylors Falls, Minnesota with Kids.
GIBBS FARM
2097 Larpenteur Ave W, Falcon Heights, MN 55113
ABOUT THE FARM Step back in time at Gibbs Farm and visit a few resident barnyard animals while you’re at it. You can explore the farm through one of its scheduled programs or drop in to tour at your own pace. There’s much to explore: a replica Dakotah tipi and bark lodge, the Gibbs family original home and a one-room schoolhouse.
ACTIVITIES We adore Gibbs Farm’s annual festivals in the summer and fall. To visit at a slower pace, there are traditionally open gate hours on Saturdays after Memorial Day weekend with a cost under $10 per person.
Waldoch Farm’s Joyer Barnyard
8174 Lake Dr, Lino Lakes, MN 55014
ABOUT THE FARM Joyer Barnyard, home to farm animals including sheep, chickens, donkeys, alpaca, horses, peacocks, pygmy goats and pigs, is a living, breathing and educational component of Waldoch Farm & Garden Center. Aside from gardening essentials, the farm offers pick-your-own produce and a huge “Adventure Farm” filled with outdoor attractions such as train and wagon rides, a sunflower field and corn maze. Tickets start around $12 per person.
ACTIVITIES Joyer Adventure Farm usually opens in mid-June and is hopping with family fun through Halloween. Ticket prices vary by season but all types include a visit to Joyer Barnyard where you can get up close to the animals and, if you’ve got a few quarters, feed them. If you pop in during the traditional spring open house at Waldoch, you can see them for free.
FIND FARM BABIES IN THE TWIN CITIES SOUTHEAST METRO
Dodge Nature Center & Farm
1701 Charlton Street, West St. Paul, MN 55118
ABOUT THE FARM Dodge Nature Center’s property includes a tidy working farm, complete with a picturesque barn home to many animals. The public is welcome to explore the trails free of charge during daylight hours.
ACTIVITIES It’s possible to observe the resident farm animals if they’re ambling in their enclosures. You can’t access any of the barns or go beyond the fence line without participating in a program, but guests can still get close to a variety of animals while exploring. We recommend registering for a guided tour or visiting during Dodge’s annual Rock the Barn spring festival (see our calendar).
Holz FarM PARK
4665 Manor Drive, Eagan, MN, 55123
ABOUT THE FARM Holz Farm is nestled on public parkland in Eagan making it a good choice to visit at your leisure. It’s possible to take a self-guided tour of the historic farm structures, but you’ll need to wait for one of the organized programs to get glimpses inside.
ACTIVITIES When these programs are offered, farm life in the 1940s is displayed through family-friendly tours, demonstrations and yes, animal encounters. There are traditionally spring, fall and holiday festivals along with summer camps and drop-in events. We track these on our Family Fun Calendar.
MINNESOTA ZOO’s FARM BABIES
Wells Fargo Family Farm, 13000 Zoo Blvd, Apple Valley, MN 55124
ABOUT THE EVENT Minnesota Zoo’s signature Farm Babies exhibit generates warm fuzzies year after year as goat kids, lambs, piglets, and calves are born onsite in April and May. Pet to your heart’s content, and on weekends, observe feedings and other special entertainment. Admission to the Wells Fargo Family Farm is included with your zoo ticket.
TIPS Digging for a discount? Jump over to 7 Ways to Get Minnesota Zoo Discounts.
FIND FARM BABIES IN THE Twin Cities SOUTHWEST METRO
Gale Woods Farm
7210 County Rd 110 W, Minnetrista, MN 55364
ABOUT THE FARM This wonderful working farm is a great place for kids to get up close and in barns. Stop over for a self-guided walk around the grounds; Gale Woods is a public park and welcomes visitors free of charge. If you’d like to spend more time with the animals we track low-cost events on our Family Fun Calendar.
ACTIVITIES Spring is a prime time to visit. Gale Woods traditionally hosts a Saturday Morning on the Farm program that starts in April and involves dabbling in farm chores and climbing into the chicken coop. You’ll probably also get to visit the teaching garden or kitchen.
Road trip! Greater Minnesota Farm Babies
Farmamerica
7367 360th Ave, Waseca, MN 56093
Make your way through historic buildings and learn about evolving agriculture in Minnesota. Options include both self-guided and guided treks and tram tours for those who prefer to ride. A number of special events are also held at the farmsite during the year; we advise keeping an eye on the official website for these. Summer tours start in June.
Govin’s Lambing Barn
N6134 670th St, Menomonie, WI 54751
Climb right in and cuddle the farm babies: sheep, lambs, pigs, piglets, goats, chicks, alpacas and ponies, saddle up pony and wagon rides, and, if you’re lucky, witness a live birth! Plus pony and giant slide rides. Dress with the weather in mind as you’ll be outdoors in the barns. Open mid-March through mid-April during lambing season. Admission is $14-$15.50 per person, rides and slides extra.
Sibley Farm
900 Mound Ave, Mankato, MN 56001
Enclosed by the public Sibley Park, this unique farm is open daily for free visits with a variety of animals and recreation on farm-themed playground equipment. Open daily, mid-spring through early fall.
Windy Willow Farm Adventure
9748 110th Street East, Northfield, MN, 55057
This family-owned farm boasts over 40 attractions including ten farm animal areas. Spring Babies events start weekends in March, continue through April, and are a bargain at under $10 per person.
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Outside link removed by Admin.
Hi Laura. I’m assuming your link to an article opining that masks don’t work to stop the spread of Covid was in response to the earlier comment. Unfortunately, we don’t allow outside links in our comments. They are too hard to maintain.
I do believe that, armed with information on each farm’s policies regarding social distancing and masks, our readers are savvy enough to make up their own minds as to whether they want to visit a particular farm or not. However, they do deserve to be fully informed before visiting and spending their money.
We made the trek out to Govin’s this weekend. Your readers should know that, despite what their website says, they are absolutely NOT adhering to Covid protocols. People were packed into a low-ceilinged barn without masks. We stayed for all of 30 seconds, and were not offered refunds when we expressed our concern about the health risks. When I asked the owner why so few people were wearing masks, she told me that she could not force anyone to wear a mask or ask them why they weren’t wearing one. There are safer places to let your kids see baby animals, and we should support businesses that care about the health and safety of others.
Thank you for that information, Emily.
Take your fear mongering virtue signaling somewhere else.
Hi Kelly. Emily simply provided her experience and some information she felt other parents would like to know. Labels and name calling are unnecessary. We would, however, appreciate a farm review with opposing viewpoints.