It's that glorious time of the year, spring in the South! The little snow we did have is a distant memory and the sun is warming things up nicely, without burning us to a crisp.
With nicer weather comes the opportunity for lots of outdoor activities. Last weekend, I had the chance to visit Tartan Day South and the Midlands Farm Tour. Both affordable, family fun activities that we will definitely attend next year!
Tartan Day South is a 4 day Celtic celebration in Cayce, SC. Tickets are $10 per adult and kids under 5 are free. There's music, Irish dancing, sheep herding, athletic competitions, axe throwing (!), hand made pottery for sale, and tons of food! My favorite part was the music.
Saor Patrol is the real deal when it comes to Celtic music and they are
amazing. Emily especially loved the sheep herding and made an attempt to try it herself!
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| Checking out the athletic competition |
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| Saor Patrol rocking out. |
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| Sheep herding |
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| Emily trying to join the herding fun! |
A couple of tips for anyone planning on going to Tartan Day South next year:
- Get there early. There is a lot going on in the morning and it's not at all crowded.
- Your ticket allows for reentry! You can leave for lunch (or a nap) and come back in the afternoon.
- Bring chairs/blankets and find a spot to camp out. That way everyone can wander around checking everyone out and still have a central plan to meet up.
- If you are planning on bringing small kiddos, the field is all grass so a regular stroller might be tough to navagate. I'd opt for a jogging stroller.
- Don't forget sunscreen (like I did!).
- Portapotties only, so bring extra hand sanitizer. :)
Midlands Farm Tour is a new opportunity to visit local family farms, enjoy organic food and tour the farms. On Sunday, I went on a girls trip (no husbands or kiddos) to tour two local farms. We got to hold baby chickens and snack on some amazing goat cheese at Humble Farm in Gilbert
and learned about greenhouse gardening at Terra Kotta Farms in Leesville. I loved getting to meet the farmers and families that make these local farms what they are. It was quite an adventure (including a trip down a sketchy looking dirt road) complete with a delicious picnic with our farm purchases.
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| Meeting some new friends! |
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| Cutest goat! |
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| Love this American flag made of scrap wood. |
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| Greenhouse growing. |
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| Took home these delicious and beautiful eggs. |
A couple of tips for anyone planning on going on Midlands Farm Tour next year:
- Plan ahead! One ticket ($25 per car) will give you access to all farms on Saturday and on Sunday. Find out which farms are closest together and which ones have what you want to see or buy.
- Bring cash and a cooler. Most farms have lots of goodies for sell, including food and plants.
- Dress ready to have fun (and possibly get dirty). Remember, you are going to be walking all over a farm so sneakers or boots are probably the best food wear to have on.
- I didn't bring Emily this year but will next year. She would love to see the animals and lots of other kids were there, too.
- You can also volunteer at one farm and get access to the other farms the next day, for free!
Happy adventures, everyone
*M