There is a difference between a farm and a ranch; it is farms where I bike, not ranches.

You can tell by the appearance of the farm house and outbuildings if it will be safe. For example, if there are chained dogs, then no. If there are acres of junked vehicles, then no. If it is all weeds and bare dirt around the buildings, then no. But if the farmhouse is all pretty with hanging plants on the porch and a sprinkler going on the lawn and somebody off to the side weeding a garden, then yes, stop and ask to use their water. It is also a safe stop at the corporate farms, where there are signs to show how many miles to the main office, and there are huge outbuildings just to house all of the equipment. Another indicator for safeness is if the farm has a stand for selling produce. Just use your common sense to tell if a farm is people friendly or not.

Darcy