Fair Oak Farms
An Udderly Good Time
Fair Oaks Farms Dairy Adventure in Fair Oaks, Indiana may be the only upscale bovine themed tourist experience anywhere in the U.S. A collection of working farms with fun and learning activities as well as cheese and ice cream making facilities, it's like a Cows "R" Us regarding all things that go moo.
Past the entrance where a sign encourages visitors to have an "Udderly Good Time"; (note: puns are rampant here), cow enthusiasts can board one of the Dairy Adventure busses embossed with, natch, cows. The busses provide transportation to the nearby farms with a stop at one of the maternity centers.
With 80 cows born daily at Fair Oak Farms, the chances of seeing a birth are sky high. Other cowcentric activities include milking demos and observing their pampered lifestyles in naturally ventilated and tunnel cooled barns.
At the Visitor's Center, fiberglass cows wait to be milked, there are cow themed video games, a Dairy Adventure 4-D (expect to get shaken and misted with water) movie and educational displays including one about anaerobic digest where cow manure is transformed into odorless top soil. This green power produces enough energy to keep the Fair Oaks dairy farms, visitor center and the Cheese Factory and Cafe next door humming.
At the cafe and factory watch cheese making behind large glass windows. Buy some to take home and order sandwiches made with prize winning cheese. Be sure to save room for Fair Oaks ice cream. And though Fair Oaks may exemplify life on a dairy farm, there’s a touch of sophistication here too. The cafe serves Starbucks coffee.