National Zoo opens 'Kid's Farm'

WASHINGTON, June 12 (UPI) -- The National Zoo in Washington opened its $5 million Kids' Farm Saturday that features farm animals and a vegetable garden.

The Washington Post reported that the impetus for Kids' Farm began years ago when Rep. Ralph Regula, R-Ohio, who owned a working farm, thought urban children should "know where food comes from."

After some setbacks, the farm, with petting area, features cows, goats, chickens and a pond with a small flock of colorful ducks.

"It's all about animal care," said Susan Ades, the zoo's acting head of exhibition planning and design. "Visitors will be helping in brushing the donkeys, giving water and shoveling poop -- that's an important part of animal care."

Hand-washing stations have been set up with children-friendly graphics illustrating good hygiene to prevent the spread of disease.

To show children that pizza and other food items don't just land in their lunch boxes magically, the zoo has a vegetable garden with tomatoes, corn, wheat and thyme. The children learn how to make pizza sauce and how a cow's milk becomes cheese.