Fun on the Farm

Doodle Rooster is the animated host of Fun on the Farm, a John Deere–sponsored program presenting a kid's-eye view of farms in America, which also features Harvey Horse and a dairy cow named Bell. Following the familiar Deere green-and-yellow motif, toys and real-life big rigs are employed to show how food is grown and brought to the tables of Americans, from planting through cultivating and harvesting. Original and familiar songs—including “Old MacDonald Had a Farm,” plus new tunes by singer/songwriter James Coffey—play a strong role, with toe-tapping melodies that should have kids singing along. The engaging visual mix includes film footage, cartoon-style animation, and stop-motion action using play sets, along with fun shots of animals (including critters at the Deere Farm in the Zoo interactive exhibit at Chicago's Lincoln Park), and a trip to the John Deere Harvester Works in East Moline, IL, to see how a combine is made. Also including activities such as “The Cloud Game” (finding animal shapes in the sky), this entertaining paean to farming is highly recommended. Aud: P. (C. Block)