How to visit us
We welcome visitors to the farm, as we feel that openness and education about our methods and facilities is integral to customer satisfaction and independent food safety. Guided, educational walking tours of the farm are available upon request with advance scheduling. For reasons of liability and workload, we cannot accept unplanned visitors. We charge for all educational visits, feeling that the time we spend preparing for and hosting visitors has a fundamental economic value, as does the attractive and diversified farm we’ve worked to build.
Basic farm visit
The standard visit lasts ~1.5 hours and involves walking a half-mile loop through the core of the farm. This walk features our produce growing areas, domestic animals, shiitake production area, and farm infrastructure, including packing facilities. Topics of discussion include diversified sustainable agriculture, farm ecology, growing & management methods, and produce handling. Visits will necessarily involve traversing uneven terrain, and may not be accessible or practical for all potential visitors. Consult us as necessary.
Custom opportunities
Customized educational programs for organized groups, such as classes, Scouts, or home-school groups, are possible with advance notice. Eric holds a Masters degree in Science Education and enjoys working with children of all ages. We are open to considering special arrangements to use the farm as an outdoor laboratory for learning about ecology, earth science, agriculture, and more.
Fees
We charge $12/head for a one-on-one visit, $8/head for groups of 2 to 6 people, and $6/head for groups of 7 to 16 people, payable on-farm. These fees are comparable to a night at the movies or museum admission, and ensure that we receive fair value for our time. Young children who are not independently mobile are free; otherwise we ask the same rate for children as adults because children require extra preparation and attention due to liability concerns. If these prices will create a hardship for you or your group, please contact us to discuss options.
Scheduling a visit
We generally prefer visits to be scheduled at least one week in advance. Saturday and Sunday afternoons are generally possible; Mondays and Thursdays are least viable. We reserve the right to decline a time slot due to workload or on-farm conditions but will try to arrange an alternate opportunity.
To arrange a visit, please send an email to the address listed on the contact page with the following information:
- Contact name & phone number
- Number of intended visitors, including children & their ages
- Proposed date and time of visit
- Any particular interests of the group
We will respond as soon as possible to confirm, or reschedule if needed.
Getting here
We are located 12 miles north of Columbia, MO, about 15-20 minutes drive, with the final entry road consisting of a steeply descending gravel hill that is generally, but not always, passable to cars. Buses or especially low-riding vehicles cannot be accommodated. Upon reserving a time, you will receive a map and directions to the farm. Please consider that weather and/or entry road conditions may force last-minute changes in plan, and allow for such eventualities.