Dream Acres facts for kids

Dream Acres is a special place, like a big outdoor classroom and farm all in one! It's about 60 acres (that's like 45 football fields!) and is located in Wykoff, Minnesota. This farm is unique because it's an organic farm. This means they grow food and raise animals without using harmful chemicals.

The farm is run by people like Todd Juzwiak and Eva (Evie) Barr, along with others. They grow many types of vegetables, including wheat, corn, lettuce, pumpkins, broccoli, and beans. They also have animals like an ox, three horses, many chickens, two sheep, cats, and two rabbits.

Dream Acres tries to be very self-sufficient. This means they work to produce most of what they need right there on the farm. It's part of the Land Stewardship Network. The farm is also a Community-supported agriculture (CSA) farm. This means people can buy a "subscription" to the farm's produce. Then, they get fresh vegetables delivered to them throughout the growing season. Dream Acres is also a member of WWOOF, which stands for World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. This program lets people come and help work on the organic farm.

History of Dream Acres

Todd Juzwiak, one of the people who runs Dream Acres, went to Carnegie Mellon University. He also worked for the Peace Corps, helping communities in other countries.

Building the Farm

The main house where Todd, Eva, and their two children live is a special kind of building. It's called a timber frame house. It was built in 1995 as part of a class taught by Tillers International.

There's a wire bridge at Dream Acres that crosses a river. It's a bit like the rope bridge you might have seen in the movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. On the other side of the river, there's a pile of old cement bags. They've been there so long that they've turned hard like rocks! Since there was only the wire bridge, carrying heavy cement for a building's foundation was very difficult. That foundation was never finished.

Special Buildings

Dream Acres has four completed buildings. These include the main house, a straw-insulated house, a barn, and another house.

In the summer of 2007, Dream Acres started building something very exciting. It was the first certified kitchen in Minnesota to use renewable energy and be very energy efficient. This building also has a traditional timber frame. The big event where they put up the main wooden frame happened in July 2007. This kitchen is connected to a greenhouse. It will get its running water and electricity from solar panels on the roof.

Learning and Fun at Dream Acres

Dream Acres is not just a farm; it's also a place for learning and fun!

Classes and Workshops

The farm works with Tillers International to teach many classes throughout the year. These classes cover different parts of farm life. You can learn about things like:

• Maple Sugaring (making maple syrup)
• Woodstove Cooking
• Bee Keeping
• Timber Framing and Raising (how to build with big wooden beams)
• Intro to Solar Applications (how to use solar power)
• Farming with Oxen, Mules & Horses (using animals to help with farm work)
• Stone Masonry (building with stones)

The farm even uses old-fashioned tools. They have oxen-driven plows and a hand-crank washing machine! Dream Acres also offers internships. This means anyone can come and help work on the organic farm and learn a lot.

Flourish Summer Camp in Arts and Agriculture

Every August, Eva Barr hosts a children's summer camp at the farm. It's called the Flourish Summer Camp. Kids at the camp get to experience what life on a farm is like. They also explore different art forms, like acting in a play. Eva Barr describes the program as "a playground for the mingling of performing arts and agriculture." It's an intense week of learning and fun on the farm!

In 2006, a playwright named Zaraawar Mistry showed his play Indian Cowboy at Dream Acres. This event helped raise money for the Flourish Summer Art Camp. He said he was excited to perform in a barn on a farm in Minnesota. He hoped people would come to see the play and help provide valuable art opportunities for students in the area.