Every time we step on the grounds of Allaire Community Farm in Wall Township, New Jersey, a calm feeling comes over us, and we know we are somewhere special. The adorable, well-kept red barns, super-friendly animals, and interactive, kid-friendly environment make us feel at home. But the farm is more than a place to visit—Allaire Community Farm has meaning and purpose, with a unique blend of equine therapy, animal therapy, and vocational training. The non-profit farm is open to visitors from April through November, and during the holiday season, there is a joyous Old Fashioned Christmas with indoor and outdoor petting zoos, Santa, model trains, wagon rides, and lots of twinkling lights. Read on for all you need to know about Allaire Community Farm, and for more animal fun, check out our guide to petting zoos in NJ. (feature photo taken at Allaire Community Farm)
Allaire Community Farm: “We Nurture Through Nature”
See Santa at Allaire Community Farm. Photo Credit: NJ MOM
Celebrate the holidays at Allaire Community Farm
Even though we go a lot in the spring and summer, we always make a point to visit Allaire Community Farm during the holiday season. It’s always a highlight when we hop on the Yuletide Wagon Ride through the fields with not one but two tunnels of lights, all in the glow of the tractor in front of us. Visiting Santa in the museum is always another favorite part of our visit—my kids are excited to share their lists with him in his cozy living room. But our favorite is the walking tour with an illuminated path to the indoor and outdoor petting zoo, where you can feed the animals. On the tour, the kids follow the pathways, touch trees, and get closeups of the twinkling light displays with thousands of lights. The entire farm is an enchanting Christmas Village, creating a truly magical holiday atmosphere. Make sure you visit the market in the 100-year-old barn to pick up old-fashioned hot chocolate, hot cider, baked goods, hot dogs, soda, and holiday gifts. If you want to take a break, there are Christmas movies in the pavilion, and stop by the Model Train House to watch the trains whiz by in a charming landscape.
Allaire Community Farm has everything from fresh eggs to a petting zoo and various farm programs. Photo Credit: NJ MOM
Explore the farm
During the warmer months, when you first enter the farm, you walk through an adorable barn with a farmers market that includes everything from fresh honey to Allaire Community Farm apparel. There’s a small fee to enter, and you can also purchase special food to feed a majority of the animals on the farm. My kids noticed the tractors and outdoor play equipment they could climb, sway, and spin on. Next, they saw a huge mechanical cow they could actually “milk,” giving a very accurate representation of what it would be like to milk one. They then made their way into the first barn filled with goats, chickens, ducks, and more. The ducks were lively, and the goats were so fun to watch as they climbed and said hello. My kids were even more excited to find another barn with adorable ponies. We then visited the cow, the pig, and many other animals in the outdoor areas. The animals were playful and friendly, and they were more than happy to be fed the feed we purchased in the barn.
Jack and Jill were our family’s favorite animals to feed on the farm, and we were excited to learn that we could also sponsor them. Photo Credit: NJ MOM
Sponsor an animal
When you interact with the animals, it doesn’t take much before you start developing a bond with several of them. My kids quickly attached to Jack and Jill; they were so gentle and were a joy to spend time with during our visit. We were happy to learn that we could directly support an animal of our choice on the website, like Queen Ester the Horse, Mable the Pig, or Jack & Jill the Sheep. All funds raised through the sponsorship program will support the animals’ care, including food and medical costs. There is a monthly subscription for $25 and an annual subscription for $200.
The ponies were so gentle and beautiful to see up close. Photo Credit: NJ MOM
Get on the saddle
When my kids saw the horses, the assistants told us about the equine care and horseback riding programs. Through the equine programs, your kiddo can gain independence and problem-solving skills by learning how to ride a horse, identify the parts of a horse, how to groom, and more. After an initial evaluation, riding lessons are available for children ages 3 and up. The class covers horse care, grooming, riding, and tacking. Certified horseback riding classes for special needs populations, a Veterans Carriage Riding Program, and they even partner with the Special Olympics of New Jersey, and they are a certified Special Olympics Equestrian Training Site.
The goats were so entertaining—how can you resist volunteering here? Photo Credit: NJ MOM
How Allaire Community Farm gives back to all
The farm, founded by JoAnn and Sean Burney, was a dream of Sean’s that turned into so much more than he ever imagined. Then, when the Burneys started to see visitors with special needs respond positively to the farm environment, the founders knew they were onto something. Now, the farm aims to utilize its rescue animals and working farm environment to “nurture through nature” while focusing on teens facing mental health issues, veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, special needs adults and children, and families battling cancer.
You can’t help but feel the positivity and love at Allaire Community Farm—the environment supports everyone from the animals to the visitors to the volunteers and more. And it’s their program, the Harvesting Occupational and Personal Excellence (HOPE), that strives to provide a meaningful, individualized, goal-driven approach to support individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The participants are interns who complete meaningful work like animal care jobs and gardening to help run the farm and learn basic job skills. The program was developed by a special education teacher and a speech-language pathologist. While walking through the farm, it was inspiring to see how hard the founders, JoAnn and Sean Burney, worked to keep the animals happy and healthy and how they strived to help others in need of support.
The mechanical cow you can milk is a must-see at Allaire Community Farm. Photo Credit: NJ MOM
What to know before you go
The Old-fashioned Christmas event runs from November 29, 2024, through December 29, 2024, on Thursdays through Sundays from 4 PM – 8 PM. Tickets are $6 for children (18 and under) and $10 for adults. Santa Claus will be visiting from 5 PM to 7 PM. Add-ons include the feed bags, Yuletide Wagon ride, and pictures with Santa (by donation). All event proceeds go directly to supporting the Allaire Community Farm rescued animals over the winter season and to programs for special needs individuals, teens with mental health issues, and Veterans with PTSD. Want a fun birthday party idea? Birthday parties are big at Allaire—kids can visit the petting zoo, feed the animals, gather eggs in the hen house, and even milk a mechanical cow. The two-hour party includes a wagon ride around the 25-acre property. There are also fun add-ons like the barrel train ride or party favors.
To learn more about Allaire Community Farm, visit their website and follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Allaire Community Farm
1923 Bailey’s Corner Road
Wall Township, NJ 07719
Become an NJMOM Insider! For all the best things to do with your family around New Jersey, be sure to sign up for our weekly newsletter delivered right to your inbox each week, and don’t forget to tag your photos #NJMOM and @njmom for a chance to be featured on our social media.
