My friends all came home for the summer with jobs at Kings Island, local ice cream shops, restaurants, and many other common jobs. My summer job consists of me playing in poop.

Welcome to Parky's Farm, a Great Park of Hamilton County. Home of six ponies, ten goats, three rabbits, 23 chickens, one rooster, three sheep, two ducks, two mini horses, one llama, one donkey, three alpacas, four ectotherms and two cows. We have many awesome employees, consisting of volunteers, seasonal employees, part-time and full time workers. We sit on 100 acres of land, full of barns, play areas, green space, lots and lots of trees, two ponds and various creeks. We are a part of Winton Woods, just down the road from Winton Woods Campground and Harbor. We bring in various families who just want to tour the farm for free or pay for pony rides, time in the play barn, or a wagon ride. One cannot simply get bored at Parky's Farm.

For you to understand why me working at a farm is such a shock to some people you have to understand that I am the complete opposite of a “farm girl". My last job was at a jewelry store. I love to be clean and organized, I insist on a routine, and the only animal I ever really pick up is a cat. But my first day of training there I was, holding a chicken and low and behold the hen lays an egg while I am holding her. Her name is Lucy, she is my favorite chicken. Before then, I had never been next to goats, had never held a rabbit, seen a donkey, or pet a pony. But things have certainly changed. Very quickly, but thoroughly, I was trained on how to groom and lead a pony, how to clean up the manure and where to put it (our huge manure pile), and that our donkey, Eeyore has a big crush on the mini horse Treasure, and likes to unlock the door to her stall when she's eating so he can see her. So yes, donkeys have crushes too.

Now I get to host birthday parties, give animal tours, run programs and camps and give pony rides on rotation. I also sometimes get to be cashier, so when people come to buy tickets to do activities at the park, they come to me. My favorite programs involve going to the creek and showing children just how "gross" a farm can be. In one of our programs, we have children bury items in our manure pile, some love it while some stay back and pinch their noses. I can't blame them, but I no longer smell whatever they smell that day. The manure doesn't stick to my shoes, which I make sure to show the children before they decide they don't want to play in the "poop pile". We also highly stress to wash your arms and hands, or any part of you that touched the manure, because although our activities are fun, the manure still has some germs and carry diseases. The animals step on my feet, from the very light chickens to our 1204 pound (this is accurate) cow. Our animals are good animals, but because they don’t always understand how big they are, the public isn’t allowed in with some of them, like the cows. They have no chance of stepping on your feet. But you are welcome to come and see them. They love attention.

This year is Parky's 25th anniversary, so every month on the 25th day, we celebrate by having different events and activities on the Farm. In April, they talked about how we came to have the Hayloft Barn, which consists of office space and the dance floor we use for camp activities, square dances, and even a wedding! It used to be a popular dance location for square dancers, who rallied and raised money when the barn was going to be demolished at its previous location. Various donors gave the Hayloft Barn to Parky’s, and their names can be seen around the Hayloft and outside in stones on the walkway. In May, Parky's highlighted that one of the workers, Eric King, had been there for 25 years. I get to work with him and he is honestly one of the nicest and funniest people you could ever meet. He does programs and helps with tractor rides on the farm, so you are sure to see him if you visit. He trained me to drive the tractor--another cool thing I get to do on the farm--and reassured me every time I messed up. If it wasn’t for him, I probably would have never gotten on the tractor. It is pretty big, and I am a short person. In June, we planted 25 trees in our orchard on the far side of the farm. It is pretty neat to see now, and we are trying our best to keep up with it and its water needs. We had volunteers and public help with that, and we could not have done it alone.

We receive great support from the community and have people who regularly come visit the parks. Guests can no longer bring dogs to the park, but be sure to come without your furry friends to see our animals! If you have a chance to visit Parky's, you won't regret it. The staff is very friendly and will assist you when you need it. I know of employees who leave to go to school, and always come back. I wish I knew that Parky's was such a great place to be before I decided it would be my last summer job. I know I will volunteer in the future and visit the farm often. It's a great place to be and a Great Park.