The Barkers
The Summer Experience
2008
Health & Safety
Considerations
Slide Tour
March 27-30, 2008
Open House
May 4, 2008
Testimonials
References
Photo Album
Historic
Photo Highlights
2007
Map
2008 Calendar, Fees,
Reserve a Space
Application Form (PDF)
Contact Us
We hope you can attend this event which is the one day of the year we are open to the public. Since 300 or more visitors usually visit on this day, we ask your cooperation on behalf of our many animals, our neighborhood, and the farm in general. Please do not walk on adjoining property and leave your cameras at home as a courtesy to us and our Amish neighbors.
Begin at the sign-in table at the end of the lane by the garden. Please tour the house first, then the barn. Keep your children with you and remember that, although the children are fully involved with the livestock and farm during the program, Open House is a day to observe, not a hands-on time. One or two of the Barkers will be at the barn to answer questions about the livestock.
Balance payments and order forms for gear may be turned in at Richard's table in the front yard. He will answer administrative questions and take any new registrations. Turn in your medical form to Penny who will be in the house, and will answer questions and should meet your child. Unpaid spaces will be vacated and offered to non-enrolled families after noon. Most remaining spaces will be taken.
You are welcome to walk our perimeter trail which runs between our pastures and woodland and gives superb views of the farm and surrounding countryside. The path goes up and down hills and is not suitable for everyone. Feel free to picnic at the tables on the hollow side of the farmhouse (down the slope near the garden). May is usually a splendid time of year and we hope you have a wonderful day here.
Participants arrive by car. Carpools may be arranged and, at your request, we can supply names and phone numbers after Open House in May. Sometimes a child flies into Ohio from a distant place and we have occasionally been able to arrange for a local family to provide transportation to and from the airport. We are two hours from Cleveland and Columbus, four hours from Toledo, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, five hours from Detroit and a day from St. Louis, Chicago and the Eastern Seaboard.
Drive slowly on the foot-traveled roads. When you near the sharp left-hand curve shown on the map (on Township Rd 124) our mailbox is on the right (BARKER). Park on the right-hand-side of Township Road 124 (before the sharp curve) behind the other cars that have already arrived and walk down the lane to the farm. Afterwards, it is important that you turn around at the marked turnaround and follow our map back to State Route 557. Please do not proceed further down the township road as it cuts through our neighbor's farm.
Our map below is not to scale and the roads curve and go up and down hills.
