PD Day Farm School - Friday, April 24, 2026

On a bright morning at Jireh Hills Family Homestead, just outside Alvinston, Ontario, a small convoy of families files down the lane to a working farm and forest school where animals and kids share the day’s curriculum. This PD Day program (Friday, April 24, 2026) is a four-hour, hands-on immersion that reads like a living classroom: dairy goats being hand-milked, a horse training demonstration with Winchester, kunekune pigs being fed and led to pasture, alpacas showing off their fiber, and exploratory walks through nearby woodland trails. The homestead’s layout—pasture, paddocks, barnyard and mixed woodlot—frames every activity in real, seasonal farm work.

What makes Jireh Hills special is the teaching pedigree behind it. The program is designed by Cheryl, a qualified secondary school teacher and long-time homeschooling homesteader, who runs the schedule with her family and older daughters. That experience shows in the gentle, structured pace: animal handling basics taught with safety and respect, opportunities for teamwork when moving pigs or feeding animals, and an accessible horse-groundwork demo that translates equine behavior into kid-friendly lessons.

The day is limited to 12 students to keep supervision tight and interactions meaningful. Activities emphasize practical skills—milking technique, safe animal approach, and basic horse communication—plus softer outcomes like confidence and cooperative problem-solving. There’s a washroom on site, and families are asked to bring weather-appropriate clothing, a packed lunch, and extra socks.

Children under five must be accompanied by an adult; drop-off is supported for older kids. Natural features are simple and clear: fenced paddocks, grassy pastures, a barnyard, and a tract of woodland trail that’s ideal for short nature walks and learning about seasonal plants and habitat. The alpacas provide a tactile lesson in fiber and fleece care; the kunekune pigs offer a memorable lesson in animal behavior and pasture maintenance.

The homestead doubles as a local outdoor education hub, connecting urban families and curious kids with how food and animal care work on a small-scale farm. Practical details: the program runs 10:00–14:00, cost is $75 per student, and optional after-hours care is offered. Safety rules are emphasized: closed-toe shoes, calm behavior around animals, and adult supervision for young children.

Jireh Hills Family Homestead offers an accessible, off-screen learning day that’s equal parts messy, instructive, and joyful—an ideal pick for families seeking an authentic farm experience near Alvinston.