Check out this site:

http://www.boggycreekfarm.com/

It looks like exactly what we would be interested in.

Can anyone help me think of a good earthy, wholesome name for our future dream?

We have a place like this called Latins Cider Mill out side of Olympia. They have animals and sell feed for 25 cents a bag for the kids, and the kids get to feed the goats, and chickens, and peacock. They also have locally grown produce, and stuff from their own garden. Their entire barn is turned into the little market, and they have the pens where the animals are all covered. Every spring we start going there, and all summer long... to watch the baby animals grow up. They have a pumpkin patch and by-the-box produce in the fall, plus TONS of stuff from their garden, including a 30X30foot Daliah patch that they sell for $5 for a dozen, you pick.

I think this is a GREAT idea! I think you are organized and proficient enough to do it. And you could really make some bank if you started small and got what you could with profits at first. I think you would be GREAT at this Bobbi Jo! Really! I would go to your little farm all the time. :)

Love Val

PS Names... hum. Something easy for children to pronounce... but I can't think of anything. Sorry... I know that Latin's has been a problem for a few toddlers that we know... and that is frustrating for them.

Bobbi Jo-
I an sooo envious! There was this really great place called "Sunshine Farm" that we always took our little ones to in Shipshewana (the Amish community) it was bout an hours drive from here.
They had miniture horses, your basic farm animals such as goats sheep, a pot bellied pig, cows etc in pens so the kids could see and pet them. They also had all kinds of chickens, ducks, peacocks to feed. There was a small rabbit barn that also had, ferrets, chicks with an egg incubator so kids could watch eggs hatch, a hedge hog etc for kids to hold. The best area was the puppy and kitty area. They would take locals extras, the kids could hold them etc. and then they were up for adoption too.
They offered a tour with someone from the farm, it was $6 per adult and $1 per year old for kids under 6.
At the end the kids got a pony ride! We used to go 3-4 times each summer. In the fall they had halloween time stuff, hayrides and pumpkin picking.
Another woman in our area is an ex school teacher and she does "farm Camp" for a week at a time for all different age groups and offers organinc farming education to the kids on a level that they understand. They help in the fields, make a craft each day and bake in her ultra cool farm kitchen which is attached to her barn. They are there from 8:30- 11:30 and they bring their lunch. It is $90 for the week. My son who is 6 has gone the last two years and it is the highlight of his summer.
Karen

sounds wonderful!!!!!

just remember ~ ;) and this is coming from a big dreamer too - (notmeantto dampen your spirits at all) your place will have to have a "draw" kwim? the link you posted is a historic farm/house & i am sure that alone draws people in.

also ~ it takes some time, even a few years i think...to get your soil certified organic (if you decide to go that route) you can't sell items labeled organic unless they are certified ~ but you can say they are "grown naturally w/o the use of herbicides, or pesticides"

we have similar dreams bobbi jo & i wish you the very best on your journey!!~ :)


edit***** reading the previous post reminded me.. there is a lil farm here that has a great set up for the Fall season.. the have a HUGE blow up/light up pumpkin & a patch as well... a firepit, few Llamas ,hot cider & hay rides!
they have barn where they offer dried flowers, gourds, pumpkins & some crafts from local artists (dh usually has a few of his glass pumpkins in there eaach year)..they have a story time for the kids & a few big round bales of hay for the kids to play on.

it reallyis small & simple, but they are packed each year & they open up during the weekdays for schools to come visit.******

you'll know when you find the right venture for your place & family...goodluck mama ~ sounds exciting!!!!!

I have been gardening since I was a wee one and we are also friends with a couple who run an organic dairy farm (they also raise spelt) so we are aware that this will be a long process. That is actually a good thing because it will allow me to spend more time with the baby and the boys for a few years before things start getting busy.

Shifra, I love the idea of the garden camp. Dh is a teacher and I am a former teacher so that would be right up our alley and it would be a draw to get people out. Dh being a teacher will also allow us to get the word out about our little farm, classes etc... to help drum up business. I have always wanted to take the master gardening program in our area and if I did it would be a great asset if I were going to teach a garden camp.

Thanks again ladies!:thumbsup:

Don't forget about children's birthday parties.

Katie

Hiya,
That's right down the road from me. We were there Saturday, actually.

It benefits from proximity to downtown, although its on the wrong side of the highway. It's sort of an adventure getting there.

You also might want to look at Jane Ann Butter's website.

Austinmama.com has an interview in the favorite people's section. With the boggycreek farm owners,(not JAB). I don't want her life, but I do feel envy for some of the moments. They are super-nice, very gentle people.

The house isn't special. It's just a usual Texas farm house. There aren't any in the suburbs, but they are scattered around the countryside. If you are from Texas, they are what look "right." That's what makes it special. So you don't need to go overboard with architectural wonders.

They also used to sell to Central Market. They still sell to restaurants. It's a viable concern, whether or not people show up for the touristy/camp things.

Good Luck. I think you'd be great at it.

Sincerely,
Ari