For more than a decade, Chris Fesko has been inviting people to her farm in Skaneateles by way of the “On the Farm” educational video series.

For almost as many years, Fesko has been inviting people to discover the farming lifestyle live and in person at annual open houses each summer.

“It's sort of like a customer appreciation day,” said Fesko, a farmer and teacher, who plans to put out the ninth volume of “On the Farm” later this year. “Very few people have opportunities to see farms these days.”

Fesko opens her 400-cow dairy to the public for the same reason she started the video series starring her own family: To help educate and enlighten the general public, particularly children, about the increasingly rare rural lifestyle.

“They make me feel like the videos were exactly what I should have done,” Fesko said of visitors who travel from as far away as Michigan.

“I did it so we could teach people about agriculture and what we're doing.”

On Saturday, children will have the chance to get up close and personal with a variety of farm animals and some machinery.

“This make a real nice opportunity for kids to get close,” Fesko said. “It's holding, feeding and stewardship, really.”

Fesko has done field trips with students in the Auburn Enlarged City School and other districts for several years.

“Agriculture is a tremendous breeding ground for learning,” she said.

The “On the Farm” video series debuted 15 years ago with “Summer on the Farm.”

Other volumes have explored most facets of farming from taking care of animals to maintaining plows and barns.

The ninth “On the Farm” video will focus on animal births. Fesko has three years of footage she plans to edit this fall.

Another open house is planned for Aug. 11.

Staff writer Shane Liebler can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or shane.liebler@lee.net

If you go

What: Fesko Farms open house

Where: 1181 Woodworth Road, Skaneateles

When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday

Cost: Free

For details: Call (800) 747-6470 or visit www.fesko.com