Old MacDonald may have had a farm but on his farm, did kids see a dancing cockatoo? Sure, Old MacDonald had adorable animals. Yet, on many Long Island farms, meeting furry friends is just the beginning.

Visitors can bottle-feed baby pigs, jump into a ball pit filled with corn kernels, slide down a tractor, participate in watermelon-eating contests, watch a chicken puppet show and pick bouquets of flowers at sunset.

Get a jump start by following this farm-hopping trail. Since the farms aren't far from one another, mix and match activities to create your own farm fun.

First stop: Animal Farm Petting Zoo

296 Wading River Rd., Manorville

Elias Camey, 8, of Center Moriches, feeds the animals at...

Elias Camey, 8, of Center Moriches, feeds the animals at the Manorville farm. Credit: Rick Kopstein

This is a wonderland of barnyard and exotic animals that have found new homes on the farm. There are goats, pigs, sheep, bunnies, and birds including a cockatoo that loves to dance. Visitors put music on their phones and the bird dances along and speaks to them. Kelsey Albach, director, adds, "We have a sweet camel named Clark who loves kisses and will eat out of your hand." There’s also a wallaby, a peacock, llamas, a monkey, and a barn with baby chicks, bunnies and guinea pigs that kids are welcome to hold.

Nicole Pierre, 9, of Massachusetts, feeds Clark the Camel.

Nicole Pierre, 9, of Massachusetts, feeds Clark the Camel. Credit: Rick Kopstein

Visitors can purchase milk bottles and animal food to feed most of the animals. "Pigs love the milk bottles," Albach says. While one child holds a baby bunny, another child can watch a puppet show about Super Cow, ride on a mini train around the farm, go on a pony ride, or romp in several playgrounds with slides and sand. If you fall in love with a bunny, guinea pig, chicken, goat or duck, you can adopt one. But wait. After all this, you still haven’t entered a watermelon-eating contest.

  • COST $18.95; $16.95 ages 2-16
  • MORE INFO 631-878-1785, afpz.org

Second stop: Fink’s Country Farm

6242 Middle Country Rd., Manorville

Logan Cymerman, 3, of Rochester, feeds one of the animals; Theo...

Logan Cymerman, 3, of Rochester, feeds one of the animals; Theo Narine, 3, and his sister, Tessa, 5, of Riverhead, jump on a trampoline. Credit: Rick Kopstein

"On our farm, we have a whole big play section," says co-owner Michelle Fink. "We turned a tractor into a slide, so kids can sit on the tractor and slide down. Kids can also jump in our Barn-o-Corn — it’s a big ball pit filled with corn kernels."

From left, Sofia Rojas, 10, of Commack, left ,plays with...

From left, Sofia Rojas, 10, of Commack, left ,plays with Gaspar Gandara, 7, of Coram, in the Barn-O-Corn. Credit: Rick Kopstein

That’s not all. There’s a jump pillow bouncer for kids. Watch an animatronic chicken show with a farmer and a bunch of chickens inside a truck. Climb on a real fire truck and slide down. Ride tricycles and pedal carts. Sift sand for gems. Get ready to try a new super mega slide coming this summer. During festivals, hop on a hayride.

From left, Jake McConnin, 7, of Babylon tries his strength...

From left, Jake McConnin, 7, of Babylon tries his strength at the tractor pull with the help of his cousin, Maggie O’Brien. Credit: Rick Kopstein

The barnyard is filled with friendly animals including Marley the goat, Jennie the cow, Handsome the peacock, Bubba the Bull, Mama Mae the donkey, plus chickens, pigs, ponies, rabbits, turkeys and baby emus. But wait. You still haven’t met a camel or dancing cockatoo.

  • COST Prices begin $11 per person ages 3 and older
  • MORE INFO 631-886-2272, finksfarm.com

Third stop: Lewin Farms

812 Sound Ave., Calverton

Jagraj Clare, left, Marissa Clare, and Rihan Clare, of Queens,...

Jagraj Clare, left, Marissa Clare, and Rihan Clare, of Queens, pick apples at Lewin Farms orchard. Credit: Morgan Campbell

Here, you can drive right up to rows of vegetables and fruits on a farm and pick your own. A staff member will answer questions and help you select a box, basket or bag (pricing: $5.75 per pound). At different points during the summer, you’ll be able to pick berries, peaches, apples, snap peas, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and more. It’s important to call the farm each morning for updates on produce ready to be picked and the farm’s time schedule. But wait. After picking produce, you still haven’t picked flowers. 

Ayana Parekh, Zainab Raza, Sofia Raza and Zalen Parekh, all...

Ayana Parekh, Zainab Raza, Sofia Raza and Zalen Parekh, all of Mineola, go strawberry picking at Lewin Farms in Calverton.  Credit: Rick Kopstein

Fourth stop: Harbes Family Farm

715 Sound Ave., Mattituck

Siblings Leilani, 10. and Kalea Cox Mata, 5, play in...

Siblings Leilani, 10. and Kalea Cox Mata, 5, play in the sandbox at Harbes Family Farm. Credit: Alexandra Moreo

This farm features countless activities. To name a few, meet and greet farm animals, visit a bunny village, race down a huge goat mountain slide, milk a make-believe cow, drive on a trike track, play in a sports zone, scramble on a spider climber, and watch pig races.

The pigs race around a small track at Harbes Family...

The pigs race around a small track at Harbes Family Farm; Highland cows are a new addition to the Mattituck farm.  Credit: Alexandra Moreo

If you’ve worked up an appetite, join a watermelon, peach or corn eating contest. During festivals, contests are typically held twice each day and participants are selected on a first-come, first-served basis. Each contest is limited to approximately 100 people (groups are divided between kids younger than 12 and those 12 and older.). The idea is to be the fastest to finish, with three winners crowned per round. But wait. After all this, you still haven’t picked your own produce.

Fifth stop: Horton’s Flower Farm

6900 Wickham Ave., Mattituck

It's a family affair at Horton's Flower Field in Riverhead....

It's a family affair at Horton's Flower Field in Riverhead. Holly, and her mother, Claudette, put together a bouquet of fresh cut flowers. Credit: Elizabeth Sagarin

Beginning on July 11, the flower farm will make its debut in the new Mattituck location. Fields of 20 types of flowers that include every color in the rainbow are waiting to be picked and made into one-of-a-kind bouquets. Claudette Gross, co-owner, explains, "We choose these flower varieties because they’re cut-and-come-again. If you cut them, new flowers grow in their place and they keep getting bigger."

Each person receives a cup or mason jar and can choose to make an adult or kid-sized bouquet. Everyone is given a pair of scissors (kid-safe scissors for children). The farm is open during the day and reopens from 6 to 8 p.m. for sunset flower picking. "To be on the farm when the sun is setting, and the sky is usually pink or purple, is really beautiful," Gross adds.

Brittany Gorman, of Coram, cuts flowers with her son Gabriel,...

Brittany Gorman, of Coram, cuts flowers with her son Gabriel, at Horton's Flower Field. Credit: Elizabeth Sagarin

A new nature play area with tents and a mud kitchen has been added to the farm. Dogs are welcome to roam through the flower fields along with their owners. A new mommy and me flower picking class will take place every Friday morning during the summer as well.

Maria Robado, of Patchogue, brings her 5-year-old son to pick flowers quite often. "It’s so relaxing and peaceful on the farm," Robado says. "It’s magical and like a little piece of heaven."

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