Gen Z has grown up in a world of smartphones, social media feeds, and increasingly AI-driven online spaces. While digital life has always been the norm for this generation, many young people are now seeking ways to unplug and spend time somewhere real.
One place they are turning to is the farm.
At Eckert’s Country Store & Farms, more young visitors are arriving with friends, looking for hands-on experiences that offer a break from screens. Many of them grew up visiting the farm with their families and are now returning to enjoy it in a new way.
Instead of scrolling, they are picking fruit, exploring orchards, sharing food, and spending time outdoors. For people visiting the St. Louis area who want to connect with nature, as well as locals across Southern Illinois and the Belleville region, Eckert’s offers a refreshing escape from screen time.
Why Gen Z Is Seeking Offline Experiences
Gen Z is the first generation that will never know a world without social media or artificial intelligence. As online spaces become more crowded with content that is difficult to verify or feels less personal, real-world experiences are becoming more valuable.
Farms offer something the digital world cannot replicate.
At Eckert’s, guests can hear tractors moving through the orchards, feel the fuzzy skin of a peach, smell fresh apple cider donuts, and taste fruit picked just moments earlier. These sensory experiences require participation and engagement.
Instead of being observers on a screen, visitors become part of the experience.
Pick Your Own Fruit: A Simple Way to Unplug
Pick-your-own peaches at Eckert’s Farm
One of the most appealing activities for Gen Z visitors is the farm’s pick-your-own produce experience. Walking through the fields and choosing fruit directly from the plant creates a simple but meaningful break from daily digital life.
At Eckert’s, guests can participate in a wide range of seasonal pick-your-own crops throughout the year, including:
- Strawberries
- Blackberries
- Peaches
- Apples
- Pumpkins
- Sunflowers
- Christmas Trees
- Vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and other seasonal produce
The appeal is both nostalgic and social. Many Gen Z visitors remember coming to the farm as children and are now returning with friends to enjoy the experience on their own terms.
Instead of juggling notifications or scrolling through feeds, the choices become refreshingly simple. Visitors spend their time deciding which apples to pick, how many strawberries to bring home, or which pumpkin is the perfect one for fall.
Exploring the Farm Together
Another reason farms appeal to Gen Z is the naturally social environment. The open spaces encourage conversation, shared experiences, and interaction in a way that feels different from digital hangouts. Instead of coordinating through group chats, visitors can spend time together outdoors, walking through orchards, exploring fields, and enjoying the slower pace of farm life.
At Eckert’s, the experience is intentionally open-ended. Friends might wander through the orchards, sample fresh fruit, browse the country store, or relax with baked treats while catching up. Because there is always something nearby to explore, guests stay present and engaged throughout their visit.
This flexibility creates a choose-your-own-adventure kind of day. Whether picking fruit, enjoying seasonal attractions, or simply spending time together outside, the farm invites participation and real connection. For many Gen Z visitors who spend much of their lives online, that kind of shared experience feels refreshing.
Gathering at the Cider Shed
Eckert’s Hard Cider
For many Gen Z visitors, the day does not end in the orchard.
The Cider Shed in Belleville, IL has become a popular gathering place where guests can relax with friends and enjoy hard cider made from apples grown on the farm.
Visitors can enjoy:
- Small-batch hard cider crafted on-site
- Outdoor seating overlooking the orchard
- Seasonal cider varieties throughout the year
- A casual social environment that encourages conversation
The Cider Shed blends farm traditions with a modern social experience, making it a natural stop after a day of picking fruit or exploring the farm.
More Than a Visit
For many young visitors, a trip to Eckert’s offers something that can be hard to find in everyday life.
It is a place where phones often stay in pockets because there is something better to do. Guests can taste fruit fresh from the tree, walk through fields of flowers, share cider with friends, and enjoy time outside.
As more Gen Z visitors search for ways to unplug, farms like Eckert’s are becoming a place where real experiences still take center stage.
Want to stop by for a farm experience? Browse available crops and purchase field access here.
