Located a quiet corner of LA County’s Rowland Heights stands Little Parrot Farm. It’s a quaint refuge of small animals and a slice of mother nature tucked away in an easygoing Asian American ethnoburb.
Little Parrot Farm is a nonprofit organization that focuses on connecting people to nature by hands-on activities with various programs offered to local communities. There, people can feel the deep bond between human and nature, and kids can also take important hands-on lessons that they may never get a chance to learn from school. Walking through the farm, visitors can find hoops with various crops and vegetables growing and also an animal sanctuary where visitors can interact with farm animals, such as rabbits, alpacas, and mini pigs. Beside all the wonderful views of the natural environment, they can also find volunteers working around, whether they are helping to weed the hoops, clean the animals, or painting pottery.
Little parrot did not just start from an accident or a sudden whim; it took tons of effort and preparation.
“Little Parrot Farm began when an organic farmer, unable to continue, offered the farm to our nonprofit. Previously, we had visited the farm to release worms as part of our mission to cherish life. Committed to compassion for the land, animals, and sustainability, we took over the farm and transformed it into an educational space, where people of all ages can learn to live in harmony with nature,” Rosa Tse, one of the founders of the farm, narrates the beginning of their story.
As they started to grow, various programs started to open up for different age groups to also lend a hand of help, to build their “piece” into this organization. For example, they offer volunteer spaces for everyone who are interested and willing to work with nature. Another major program is offered for high schoolers, who are interested in nature and the science behind it, to design experiments to learn about the impact of these crops, animals, and insects to the environment and the ways to help them.
In addition, Little Parrot Farm extends its educational reach through elementary field trips, beginning the journey of exploring the importance of the ecosystem; adult workshops, giving adults the chance to leave the bustle from works and dive into something they enjoy; and summer seasons, letting people to learn how to cultivate crops and seeing the process from sprouts to ripened fruits.
“Our philosophy emphasizes interdependence, teaching the importance of working in harmony with the environment,” Rosa stated.
To sum up, Little Parrot Farm knits a vibrant community deeply rooted in the values of sustainability, education, and compassion. By fostering the bond between human and nature, it inspires people to recognize their role in the environment and ensures this role can be passed down into their future generations, allowing the world around can be further cherished and protected. Especially in today’s society, where nature often gives way to urbanization, Little Parrot Farm reminds people of the beauty and necessity of living in harmony with nature.
