Photo: Ashley de Coligny

When searching for weekend activities for my kids, anything that has a “ride” component is a no-brainer. So when I heard that Kahuku Farms offers a tractor-pulled wagon ride and farm tour on weekends, I was interested. When I heard the tour ends at their Farm Café, I was sold. Wagon rides and farm-to-table fare? We’re in. 

Upon arrival we were offered a sample of the farm’s papayas and apple bananas, which my kids gobbled up before I could sneak in one bite. As we waited for the tour to begin, I perused the store offerings, such as made-on-the-farm lilikoi jelly and honey-mango body butters, and drooled over the café menu (more on that later).

At tour time, the kids and I climbed aboard the wagon and were off. Our friendly guide chatted about the history of the farm and pointed out the crops, including papayas, apple bananas, eggplants, lilikoi, dragon fruit, avocado and more. He taught us how they plant, rotate and harvest the crops, all while I vowed to be better about buying local produce.

Photo: Courtesy Kahuku Farms

Just as I was getting a little too smug about taking my kids on a farm tour (Look at me I’m raising such conscious localvores!) my daughter started whining loudly for my iPhone, apparently deciding it was a good time to catch up on My Little Pony on Netflix. About the same time, my son started getting squirmy. Right on time, the wagon stopped for a break, so all the kids could run around, check out the bananas up close and pose on the tractor (definitely their favorite part). The promise of ice cream at the end helped, too.

When the tour ended, we made a beeline for the Farm Café, which serves farm-fresh sandwiches, salads, fruit smoothies, sorbets and more. I had the farm pizza, a tomato and eggplant bruchetta topped with mozzarella and basil-mac nut pesto, with a side salad and lilikoi balsamic dressing. It was to die for, and I am now absolutely convinced that everything tastes better on a farm.

My kids had the hand-made Kahuku Farms vanilla ice cream, quite possibly the BEST ice cream I’ve ever tasted. We shared a fresh-squeezed lemonade. Divine! I’m still kicking myself for not trying their specialty, the grilled banana bread topped with vanilla caramel and haupia. I’ll be sure to order it next time. And the next, and the next.

Farm tours at Kahuku Farms, Friday through Monday at 2 p.m. Adults $15, children (ages 5-12) $12, 4 and under free. Save $2 per person with advance reservations. Call 628-0639. Free to just visit. Farm Café is open Friday through Monday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 56-800 Kamehameha Highway, Kahuku. For more info, visit www.kahukufarms.com.