👋 Hey there, veggie-wrangler—

Welcome to this week’s edition: Lettuce Turnip the Beet 🥕🎶
Because summer’s in full swing, the berries are booming, and you deserve more than soggy fruit snacks and Google fatigue.

We’ve gone out to the literal field this week to round up local farms, markets, and U-pick spots that are perfect for curious kids and snacky grown-ups alike.

As always, you’ll find our five fresh picks—simple, doable ideas to help you step outside, explore your neighborhood, and maybe even eat something that didn’t come from a pouch for once.

No fluff. Just family fun—locally grown, lightly seasoned, and packed with charm.

Here’s what’s in store

• One Place to Play — The Creation Zoo!

• 4 Events to Check Out — Farmers Markets in Hebron, Fort Thomas, Erlanger, and Florence!

• One Place to Eat — The Hive!

• One at Home Activity — Sheep Shearing!

• One thoughtful moment — Farm, Field, and Feelings

🐐 One Place to Play: The Creation Zoo at the Creation Museum

📍 2800 Bullittsburg Church Rd, Petersburg, KY

Current Hours (July 2025):
Mon–Sat: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sun: 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM

If your kids are loving all this farm talk lately, here’s your chance to meet some of the stars of the show—up close and personal.

Tucked just behind the Creation Museum, the Creation Zoo is home to a whole crew of friendly animals ready to charm your little farmers-in-training: fluffy chickens, curious goats, snuggly pigs, alpacas (yep, real ones), a sweet donkey, and even tiny quail.

🐾 Most animals are part of the petting zoo area, so little hands can touch soft fur, feel gentle feathers, and maybe even make a new four-legged friend.

🎈 Bonus fun: There’s a playground right next door with space to run and a mini zipline that’s just right for brave littles.

🧡 Parent tip: Zoo access is included with your museum ticket—and if you want to feed the animals, bring a few quarters.

Whether it’s a hands-on intro to farm life or just an excuse to get the wiggles out, this stop pairs perfectly with our farmers market theme. Because sometimes the best way to learn about where food comes from… is to pet it.

🎟️ Tickets: Here
Kids 10 & under are FREE with one paid adult or senior ticket.
Adults (18–59): $56.99 | Seniors (60+): $49.99 | Youth (11–17): $31.99

🔥Events to Check Out:

McGlasson’s Farm

📍 5832 River Rd, Hebron, KY
🕙 Open daily, 10 AM – 5 PM

Family-owned and overflowing with summer sweetness, McGlasson’s Farm is a local favorite for fresh produce, U-pick berries, and simple charm that feels like a step back in time (in the best way).

Right now, they’ve got nectarines that won’t last the week, plus sweet corn, peaches, squash, apples—and U-pick blueberries and blackberries still going strong at $6/lb. Bring the kids and let them pick a pint (or three).

🌿 Want fresh, local produce all summer long?
McGlasson’s CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) starts July 16! For $400, you’ll get 11 weeks of seasonal goodness. Email [email protected] for info or to grab a spot.

🧡 Parent tip: Bring a bucket and let your littles pick their own snack—just don’t be surprised if they eat half before you get home.

mcglassonfarms.com

🌽 Fort Thomas Farmers Market

📅 Wednesdays | ⏰ 3:00–7:00 PM | 📍 Tower Park
Rain or shine (but keep an eye on their Facebook page for storm updates)

Looking for a midweek outing with stroller-friendly vibes, snackable produce, and just the right amount of small-town charm? Fort Thomas Farmers Market has you covered.

This week’s star? Corn, fresh off the stalk. Picked that morning, eaten that evening—this is the flavor summer’s made of. Grab a few ears and let the kids pick out a treat (or two) while you wander.

🌿 This Week’s Vendors:

Rains & Sun Farm – Certified Organic & rooted in Covington. Salad greens, onions, fennel, beets, cabbage—basically, everything your veggie drawer dreams of.

Osage Foods – Kentucky-made spice blends that actually taste like food. Just mix into dip, rub on meat, or toss into your next “we’re eating from the fridge tonight” dinner.

Springcreek Farm – Cherry & grape tomatoes so sweet you might skip the ranch. Grown chemical-free in Maysville. Perfect for lunchboxes or charcuterie boards that scream “I tried!”

Laughing Bees Honey – Local honey turned into dreamy caramel, chocolate-covered Oreos, and s’more cookies that are basically edible joy.

Meyer's Goat Shack – Handmade soaps, shampoo bars, and even dog wash from a family that’ll tell you exactly what’s in it—because your skin (and your pup) deserve better.

🍅 Don’t Miss: Next week is #TomatoGirlSummer at the market—come sample all the tomato types you didn’t know you needed.

🍞 The Dixie Farmers’ Market

📍 Erlanger Baptist Church Parking Lot
🕑 Every Thursday, 2–6 PM | Now through October

Fresh produce, baked goods, local meats, flowers, jams, honey, soups—and that’s just what we know about so far! Nearly a dozen farms and local makers have already signed on to fill your bags (and bellies) with goodness.

🧺 Whether you’re on the hunt for dinner inspiration, a treat for the kids, or just an excuse to chat with your neighbors, this market has the goods and the good vibes.

Special shoutout to Erlanger Baptist Church for hosting again—and to all the folks who make this hometown favorite happen each week.

🥕 The Florence Gathering Grounds

📍 7111 Dixie Hwy, Florence
🕓 Fridays | 4–7 PM

There’s a fresh buzz in Florence—Gathering Grounds Farmers Market has officially sprouted in a new, easier-to-get-to location with plenty of space to grow (and space for strollers, too 🙌).

Now teamed up with the Boone County Cooperative Extension Office, this market is turning Friday evenings into something special: a local shopping spot, a family hangout, and a community hub all rolled into one.

✨ What you’ll find:

• 🐓 Big Paws Farm (eggs + fresh farm finds)

• 🧼 Pasture’s Kiss & Wild Hare Soap Co.

• ☕️ Brewed & Frothy Coffee Co.

• 🍎 Classyfitjuice

• 🍬 HOBBS Fudge

• 🧵 Kay’s Rebel Threads

• 🌿 Treemore Permaculture
  …and plenty more local goodness!

🧡 Parent tip: It’s a great stop to snag dinner ingredients, bribe your kids with fudge, and grab a coffee for yourself.

Follow them on socials for weekly vendor lineups and sneak peeks. And hey—bring a friend or neighbor who could use a little fresh air and fresh finds.

 🍯One Place to Eat: The Hive – East Coast Kitchen & Coffee Bar

📍 480 Erlanger Rd | Open daily, 7 AM–2 PM
thehiveerlanger.com

Located in Historic Erlanger, this breakfast-and-lunch gem is all about simple food made with love and served with a smile. Think sweet pastries, hearty sandwiches, and coffee that tastes like someone actually cares—because they do.

Owner Jessica Fette (yep, also the Mayor of Erlanger) grew up in the restaurant world and brought that same family-centered energy to The Hive. It’s the kind of place where everyone feels welcome, whether you’re grabbing a quick bite after the market or staying awhile with your stroller crew.

🧡 Parent tip: Let the kids share a cinnamon roll while you enjoy five whole minutes of hot coffee. Magic.

🐑 One At-Home Activity: Shear the Sheep!

Let your little one play farmer for the day with this simple craft-meets-imaginary-play activity that’s all about shearing “wool” from a fluffy sheep.

🧾 What You’ll Need:

• Cotton balls

• Cardboard or paper plate

• Glue

• Black marker

• Small basket for collecting “wool”

🎨 How to Do It:

1. Draw (or scribble) a sheep on cardboard.

2. Glue cotton balls all over the body.

3. Once dry, let your toddler “shear” the wool by gently pulling the cotton balls off and placing them in the basket.

🎶 Add “Baa Baa Black Sheep,” count as you go, or make up your own sheep adventure story.

🧡 Parent tip: Great for fine motor skills, empathy, and just enough mess to feel fun without wrecking the kitchen. Inspiration!

🌾 Farm, Field, and Feelings

My aunt once told me a story about my cousin, who was only three at the time:

We had barely unbuckled from the car when she spotted the chickens. After a morning of bouncing off the walls—typical Tuesday chaos—something shifted. She crouched beside the coop, quiet for the first time all day. Her tiny fingers reached out, gently brushing a feather as the hen pecked nearby.

“Soft,” she whispered—more wonder than words.

By the afternoon, she was bleating back at the goats and carefully feeding them grass, her wild energy not squashed but redirected. The farm didn’t demand calm—it welcomed her motion and made space for it.

Later, while reaching for sun-warmed blackberries just out of reach, she found a kind of patience I didn’t know she had. The same hands that flung toys in frustration were now plucking berries, one by one, with surprising care.

She fell asleep in my arms on the way home—berry-stained, barefoot, and finally at ease.

Sometimes the best classroom doesn’t have walls. Just dirt, feathers, and a little space to wander.

Until Next Week…
Whether you get out to a market, pet a goat, or just forward this while hiding behind the pantry door—we’re glad you’re here. You're tending a wild and wonderful crop of chaos, and you're doing better than you think.

We’ll be back next Friday with more local picks to help your days run smoother, your memories grow sweeter, and your little herd stay just busy enough.

With muddy shoes and a grateful heart,
Otto Neff
Creator of Hopscotch Highlights
A fellow tired parent growing something good, one moment at a time