Craig Bakay | Oct 26, 2017
Twice a year, Five Star Farm on Scanlan Road in South Frontenac opens up its barns and fields for the public.
“We really believe in education and giving people an opportunity to see what rural life is like,” said Tracy Parker who owns the farm with her partner Curtis Moore and their five kids.
Parker and her family have lived on the farm (she refers to it as a “homestead”) for four years and started doing the Festival events last year.
“It’s a big hit with young families . . . we open at 10 so of course they started showing up at 9:30,” she said jokingly. “We’re pretty new but we like to show off what we have in Frontenac County.”
This was the first time they’ve had vendors in for the event, like Cota’s Catering Truck, Conboy’s Maple Syrup, Barb’s Perogies and Perry Farms.
“The food seems to be popular,” Parker said. “Previously, it was just poor mom running around making coffee.”
Parker said although she didn’t grow up on a farm, it’s in her genes and she’s always wanted one.
“My family were farmers but my mom’s generation sold the farm,” she said. “But I still had the vision, I love the history, I love the kids and I love teaching.
“This is the best scenario, I get my fix of little kids.”
While they do have horses and feed them with the hay from their own fields, most of the animals on the farm are chosen “for their personalities” and a “love of people.”
She said they grow food for themselves (“five kids and all athletes”) including some chickens but mostly the operation is about the spring and fall events, as well as birthday parties and weddings etc.
The next event is scheduled for next spring, around Easter, she said.
“Our events are a success if we educate some people, nobody gets hurt and at least one kid is crying because they don’t want to leave,” she said.
But after the last guest leaves on this Saturday, “it’s time to put the equipment and animals in the barn, and turn back into a farm for winter.”
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