Are you licensed and insured?
Barnyard Discoveries® and its affiliates are licensed through the United States Department of Agriculture, so we are subject to periodic “surprise” inspections both at the farm and at events. We are proud to have accomplished this standard as the health, care, and treatment of our animals is a top priority. We carry full liability insurance, proof of which can be provided.
What area do you serve?
Barnyard Discoveries® was founded in 2011 near Peoria, Illinois. The company’s founder, Ron Wasson, continues to serve that area (generally the Peoria and Bloomington metros), and Barnyard Discoveries® will soon be available to customers in many more places as its network of local affiliates grows. If you’d like to be notified when Barnyard Discoveries® is available in your area, click the button below.
How much space does the barnyard require?
The mobile farm exhibit trailer requires an area about 10’ × 60’ and can easily park along a street curb, in a parking lot, and even in many driveways. If you think your site will be tight on space, let us know in advance and we’ll do our best to work it out.
What happens if the weather is bad on the day of my event?
If the weather looks like it may not cooperate, we will contact you to discuss options. Possibilities include moving the event to another part of the day or rescheduling for a different date. For events associated with large facilities (schools, malls, exhibition halls, etc.) rolling the entire exhibit indoors may also be an option. The mobile farm exhibit trailer is enclosed and equipped with air circulation and heat, so we can accommodate guests even on less-than-perfect days.
When do you set up?
We make every effort to arrive at your event about a half hour prior to your scheduled start time. However, we are dealing with animals and our plans for loading and preparing to leave don’t always agree with theirs. We just ask that you be understanding and know that we will do our best and stay later if necessary.
We have pets. Will they bother your animals?
Because it’s hard to predict how animals unfamiliar with each other will interact, it’s our policy to keep them separated. Please plan to contain pets well away from the mobile farm trailer while it is on site.
Are there health risks with a Barnyard Discoveries® event?
There is little to be concerned about so long as visitors to the Barnyard behave appropriately and practice good hygiene. All animals, including people, carry a variety of microorganisms. Some are beneficial, some are not. We recommend that visitors minimize contact between their hands and face until they have sanitized their hands after being in the exhibit. Food and drinks are best kept outside the exhibit, and parents should be cautious about their children’s use of pacifiers and sippy cups in the exhibit. We provide hand sanitizer and have signage reminding visitors to observe basic hygiene rules at all of our events. And speaking of hand-to-face contact, it’s not the animals’ favorite, either. Visitors should avoid putting their fingers near animals’ eyes and mouths, and do not provoke or mistreat an animal in any way. You are ultimately responsible for you and your children’s own safety. Common sense is the best precaution.
What are Barnyard Discoveries® affiliates?
In 2019 we began to develop a family of independently-owned businesses that provide the Barnyard Discoveries® farm experience to more people in more places, helping to fulfill the founder’s mission of farm education for all. Affiliates receive training and support from Barnyard Discoveries’® founder so they can effectively serve the communities near them. If you’d like to be notified when a Barnyard Discoveries® affiliate is available in your area, or if you’re interested in becoming an affiliate yourself, click the appropriate button below.