Photo: The Farm, 8101 Tampa Ave in Reseda, CA

Located on a corner lot in a dense suburban neighborhood, This dilapidated petting zoo and pony ride stable will provide many valuable life lessons to your children. They'll witness: Darwinian struggles for survival, nature's relentless struggle to take back man made structures when they are not maintained, uncontrolled breeding, and the dire consequences of overpopulation.

But that's why I love this crazy, anachronistic compound populated with dozens of goats, chickens, ostriches, emus, cattle, llamas, ponies, and other farm animals, most of them freely mingling with the human visitors.