Our Story
Twenty-six months ago, my husband and I were soon to become empty nesters with the last of our 5 children preparing to attend the Virginia Military Institute. I had big plans for us to sell our farm and move to a nearby lake - a place where our children and future grandchildren would love to visit us. But God had a different plan. March 2018, I remember Mike asking me to meet him in the pasture. As I approached him, I noticed his eyes were filled with unusual excitement and childlike wonderment. I remember his exact words, “I’ve been thinking and talking to God. I can’t imagine He would want us to leave our farm. What if we create a place where people can visit and spend time with farm animals. Can you imagine children filling this farm again?” In that moment, the trajectory of our lives changed as he shared the plan God had laid on his heart to open our farm as an agri-tourism educational facility. That summer we began building pens and houses for animals we didn’t even own. Talk about a leap of faith! And just as I began to doubt we would ever be able to pay the incredible prices for mini animals, the doors started opening one right after another. First, we rescued and transported two mini horses from a slaughter pen in Florida, and later two pitiful calves from a dairy farm closing in Virginia (see our YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTGB_TkF_fADjcj9WCL5tmw). Today, we have 197 animals on our farm including chickens, turkeys, ducks, peafowl, Sebastopol geese, mini horses, dairy cows, Nigerian dwarf goats, Katahdin sheep, dogs, Flemish Giant rabbits, an African Sulcata tortoise, a mini pig, and a donkey. All of our hoof animals were rescued. We like to think this is their second chance to live a fabulous life at their forever home. It’s incredible to look back at the conditions from which they came to the life they live now. The farm has healed their spirits and given back their lives. In return, they will offer therapeutic healing to others who come to visit. Our farm opened to the public June 28, 2019. It’s been an incredible journey of faith since that day. Most of the journey we had the cart before the horse because we have always believe God opens the door once. Every morning we have 2 choices: continue to sleep with our dreams or wake up and chase them. Those at the top of every mountain didn't fall there, they chose to believe they can scale the mountain. Anyone can open their farm to agri-tourism. Contact your local Planning Commission and Commissioner of the Revenue to understand local agri-tourism ordinances. Then it is a process of obtaining a business license, creating a website, buying your domain, hiring a CPA, opening a business checking account, creating an EIN account, and talking with your insurance company. The latter was quite an ordeal for us as agri-tourism is fairly new and most underwriters lack substantial knowledge in the area. If we can help you in any way, or if you would just like to follow our journey, please contact us TheRedBarnFarmVa@gmail.com, our website theredbarnfarmva.com or through social media: Instagram: http://www.instragram.com/the_red_barn_farm Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheRedBarnFarmVA/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTGB_TkF_fADjcj9WCL5tmw Mike and Dennita
