Are you ready to garden with the kids this year? Or, perhaps your looking for a little more color, and don’t want to break open the kid’s piggy bank to afford a few flowers! Well then, I have the place for you!
Meadow View Farm in Southwick, Massachusetts offers a huge variety of shade and sun annuals. They offer shade and sun perennials. Meadow View Farm offers shrubs, and every type of garden possibility! The best thing is, they are heavily discounted! A four foot tall tomato plant bursting with tomatoes in spring 2012 cost $7.99! Wow! Huge hanging baskets that are bursting with color are $13.99! What a great deal!
As you pull up to Mead View you’ll have to circle around a bit to find a place to park. Once you are parked, grab any cart near by. People leave them by their empty parking spaces. If you are going on a weekend, grab the cart that’s left, because you might not find one inside. Head over to the big greenhouse, and check out what Meadow View has to offer.
Inside the greenhouse, you’ll find many of the shade plants, and hanging baskets. Outside you’ll find a large assortment of sun perennials and annuals, plus a variety of good size shrubs. Circle around the back of the yard to the side of the nursery to find a large assortment of garden plants! When you are ready to pay, head back to the green house. Someone will be waiting to help you sort through your purchases. Have cash or a check ready because, as of spring 2012, Meadow View does not yet accept credit cards. Candy jars are waiting for the kids to get a reward for all of their shopping efforts.
Mom’s Review:
I’ve heard the buzz about this New England flower farm for the past five years. I can’t believe it took me five years to check it out. The family enjoyed time selecting a cart full of plants for our yard and little garden! The kids acted as if they were in a flower candy store bringing me everything that appealed to their eyes. Luckily, the prices are very reasonable! We went on a Saturday, and the parking was crazy! It only took a couple of minutes to find someone leaving, and race to the spot.
Positives:
Great Variety of flowers and plants
Cheerful and helpful staff – Very Important!
Great Deals!
Fun experience for the kids to see their plants growing in the yard back home.
Negatives:
Only Cash or Check – Of course this might help keep the budget in check:)
Favorite Season To Visit:
Spring – but I have read reviews on the farm, and saw that if you go later in the summer – the plants are deeply discounted. And if you go as they are wrapping up the season, they will even give plants away (at least that’s what I have read on-line)!
Activities/Things To Do:
Shop for flowers and plants
Planting fun when you get home
What To Pack:
Cash or Check Book – No Credit Cards
Don’t forget an old blanket for the back our your car – to catch all of the loose dirt.
Strollers would be too hard in the crowded green house, and rocks outside – try a baby carrier, instead.
FYI:
Don’t forget NO credit cards.
Don’t forget to grab any available cart from the parking lot – especially if you go on a weekend.
Apparently, in late flower season, plants are heavily discounted and some are even given away.
If your car is like mine -and most aren’t as disgusting – you’ll have to plan ahead and clean out the cargo area for flowers.
Is There Anything That Made This Mom Nervous?:
Saturday was pretty crowded. I had an extra level of guarding the kids from cars going in reverse out in the parking lot.
Kid’s Review: What did the kids think of the place?:
Michael – age 7 – I loved picking out the flowers with mom, and I am taking great care of my Sugar Baby Watermelon Plant!
Ella – Age 5 – I loved all of the purple and pink flowers!
Abi – Age 9 – I liked putting all of the plants on the cart, and picking out all of the Impatiens for mom!
Dad’s 2 Cents $$ – What’s All of This Quality Time Going To Cost Me?:
Prices vary from plant to plant, but we got twice as much for the same price it would have cost at a large hardware garden center.
- Don’t forget Cash or Check ONLY!
Location:
120 College Highway
Southwick, MA
(413) 569-0814
Hours:
May to Mid June – Everyday 9-6
Our Experience:
When I first moved to Connecticut, I heard some of the mom’s talking about the flower farm in Massachusetts. I had found a local farm that had great prices, so I didn’t bother to make the drive. But, this year my local farm suffered from some fires in their green houses, so the selection is down. And since, every Mother’s Day, the kids take me shopping for flowers to plant, I decided to look into the Massachusetts flower farm!
The kids loved the huge selection of plants, and brought something to the cart every five seconds. Of course, I snuck some of them back to their shelves ( I couldn’t get everything they threw at me – and luckily they didn’t notice!) I think we were there for about an hour, because Mike had to take the exhausted little ones back to the van, and sit with them. The older kids, and I happily finished our plant selections in peace. 🙂
I have great memories of gardening with my dad. So, I want to create that with my kids. It’s so much fun to watch your plants grow, and pick strawberries right out of your garden. Places like Meadow View help me do that! I don’t have the field my dad had, but we manage to grow a few things. Hopefully, the tomato plants will survive Connor. So far, I have had to make fried GREEN tomatoes for dinner, at least twice! Oh well, that’s yummy, too!
More Pictures For A Better Visual:
http://kidfriendlythingstodo.com/2012/05/meadow-view-flower-farm-pictures-a-kid-friendly-thing-to-do-review/
A Link to Meadow View’s Web Site – I don’t think they have a web site, so here’s the next best thing:
http://www.farmfresh.org/food/farm.php?farm=1436
~Melissa – KidFriendlyThingsToDo.Com – A site providing kid friendly crafts, recipes, and things to do with kids! Plus, if you live around Connecticut, places to go with your kids are reviewed with pictures for a better visual!
