The Kelley Farm, located in Elk River, Minnesota, will be hosting a series of workshops this June.

The Farm Animal Weekend will be held Saturday June 1 and Sunday June 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Summer is fast approaching at the Oliver H. Kelley farm and with spring planting just about completed, the Kelley farmers now turn their attention to the Farm's livestock. June is time to shear sheep, and guests are welcome to try their hand at the challenging task of freeing the sheep from their "winter coats."

Toby and Coulter, the farm's oxen, will be finishing up field work. Visitors are encouraged to walk the Farm's nature trails, meet the spring newborns and learn about how farm animals were used in the past and different ways they are used today. This workshop is $9 adults, $7 seniors and college students, $6 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members to participate.

Celebrate Father's day weekend at the Oliver Kelley Farm on Saturday June 15 and Sunday June 16, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Children, parents and grandparents are welcome to join the Kelley Farm staff as they work on typical 19th-century "fancy chores" like building feed boxes, repairing equipment and fences and caring for the animals.

Make sure to visit with spring newborns and walk the nature trails. Fathers are admitted free when accompanied by a child. The cost to participate is $9 adults, 47 seniors and college students, $6 children ages 6-17; free for MHS members and fathers accompanied by a child.

Children and families are invited to Children's Day at the Oliver H. Kelley farm on Wednesday, June 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Children are encouraged to join in the chores that young people did on farms more than 100 years ago, like helping with the laundry, gardening, animal care and field work.

After chores it's all fun and games as guests take part in 19th century games such as Townball, Grandmother's Footsteps and Hoops and Sticks. The cost to participate is $9 adults, $7 seniors and college students, $6 children ages 6-17; free for children age five and under and MHS members.

Oliver H. Kelley and his wife Lucy began farming the land on the banks of the Mississippi River in 1850. Kelley was the founder of the first successful national farming organization, the Patrons of Husbandry, better known as the Grange. The Kelley Farm is recognized as "The birthplace of organized agriculture in America."

The working 1860's farm is located at 15788 Kelley Farm Rd., 2.5 miles southeast of downtown Elk River on U.S. Hwy. 10. It is a National Historic Landmark operated by the Minnesota Historical Society. For more information, or to make reservations for the workshops, call 763-441-6896.