Getting up close and personal with the cows
At some dairy farms in the town, you can try milking the cows yourself. While the black and white Holstein cows are the most common in Hokkaido, today we will milk a brown Jersey cow. Jersey cows have a calm temperament, making them ideal breeds for milking even by children.
The milking activity starts at 7 in the morning to coincide with the farm’s daily schedule. Starting it later may lead to the cow’s udders getting swollen, causing stress to the cow. One of the components of cow’s milk is blood cells, and cows need energy to produce milk. These are just some of the interesting factoids that the dairy farmer will teach you during the activity.
Our next stop is a goat farm in Nakafurano. Along the way, we see a cute little pony grazing in a field. The pony is very friendly to strangers, and will even let children pat him on the head.
A fun walk together with a herd of goats
As we arrive at the goat farm, we are greeted by around 20 goats, coming out of their barn in a procession.
Fun fruit picking at a berry farm
Next we visit an orchard that grows around 10 different kinds of berries, including raspberries, haskap berries, and cassis (blackcurrants). The different varieties ripen in succession from late June to September, and visitors can enjoy picking berries that are in season at the time of their visit.
Whether its cow milking or fruit picking, there’s plenty of activities to enjoy at the farms in Nakafurano.
※The period and schedule of activities varies from farm to farm, so please inquire at each farm in advance.
