Clark's Elioak Farm facts for kids
Clark's Elioak Farm is a special farm located in Howard County, Maryland. It covers a huge area of 540 acres! This land is protected, which means it must always be used for farming and can't be turned into houses or shopping centers. The Clark family has owned this farm since 1927, and they have been farming in Maryland for seven generations, which is a very long time!
The farm's name, Elioak, comes from a type of soil found in the area. This soil is deep and good for growing things like apple trees.
Today, Clark's Elioak Farm is not just a regular farm. It's also a fun petting zoo where you can meet animals. Plus, it's home to many magical pieces from the old Enchanted Forest theme park!
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A Family's Farming Story
The Clark family's farming journey in Maryland started way back in 1797. They began buying their own land in Howard County in 1850.
James Clark, Jr., who later became the president of the Maryland Senate, returned to Elioak Farm after serving in World War II. He took over the farm from his father in 1946 and ran it until he passed away in 2006. James Clark, Jr. was very concerned about land being developed too quickly in Howard County. He helped create programs like "Program Open Space" to protect undeveloped land in Maryland. He wanted to make sure that beautiful natural areas would be saved for the future.
Even a famous president, Jimmy Carter, visited the farm twice! He came in 1975 when he was campaigning to become president, and again in 1980 when he was president.
The Clark family's strong belief in protecting the land is shown in their motto, "Never Sell the Land." You can even see this written on a special stone at the farm.
More Than Just a Farm
Martha Clark, who is James Clark, Jr.'s daughter, and her daughter, Nora Crist, now run Elioak Farm. They have a stand on Maryland Route 108 where they sell fresh vegetables. They also offer special "pasture-raised, grass-finished beef," which means the cows are raised in a natural and calm way.
Martha's brother, Jamie Clark, even started an internet company called ClarkNet inside one of the barns on the farm in 1993!
Fun at the Petting Zoo
In 2002, Martha opened a petting zoo at Elioak Farm. This was a big step in making the farm a unique place! The first year was a bit tough because of some scary events happening in Maryland at the time, which caused many school trips to be cancelled.
But after that difficult period, the farm became very popular. Now, about 80,000 visitors come to the farm each year!
Saving the Enchanted Forest
The Enchanted Forest was an old theme park in Howard County that closed in 1995. Many of its beloved fairy tale figures and buildings were left behind and started to fall apart.
Clark's Elioak Farm stepped in to save these magical pieces! In 2004, they bought Cinderella's pumpkin coach at an auction. This was the start of a big project to move and restore many of the Enchanted Forest attractions to the farm.
Most of the remaining figures and structures from the old park were given to Clark's Elioak Farm. Over 100 items were carefully moved to the farm between 2004 and 2015. Some of the really big pieces, like the Old Woman's Shoe and the Three Bears' House (which were made of concrete!), had to be cut in half to be moved!
Many artists, builders, and over 100 volunteers have worked hard to restore these pieces. Some figures that were too damaged were replaced with new ones. In 2007, a new Enchanted Castle was built at the entrance to the Enchanted Forest area at the farm.
By 2009, many of the Enchanted Forest pieces had been restored or rebuilt, bringing the magic back to life!
The Pine Tree Maze
Some of the newly restored Enchanted Forest figures are placed along a winding path through a 1.25-acre pine tree forest. This is the Enchanted Forest Pine Tree Maze! It's a new idea that Martha Clark came up with, and it wasn't part of the original park. This maze was finished in 2009.
The Clarks even published a children's activity book called The Enchanted Forest Maze. It has questions you can answer as you explore the maze!
Trusty the Tractor
Martha Clark also wrote a children's book called Trusty the Tractor. It was published in 2010 and tells the story of the farm's tractor, Trusty. Martha said she got the idea for the book while riding the tractor and baling hay! She even gave a copy of her book to each of the Howard County Public Library branches.
Visiting the Farm
Clark's Elioak Farm is a great place to visit!
The farm's vegetable stand opens every year on July 1st. It's open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can buy fresh sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, watermelon, and cantaloupe that are grown right there on the farm.
The petting zoo and the Enchanted Forest area are open from April through September, Tuesday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last entry at 4 p.m.). In the fall, from late September to early November, they are open seven days a week during the same hours.
Besides the petting zoo and Enchanted Forest exhibits, you can also enjoy hay rides, pony rides, a playground, picnic areas, and even have birthday parties there! The farm's "Country Store" at the entrance sells cool Enchanted Forest souvenirs.
