Spring Haven Farm Gives Seasonal Household Enjoyable (and Goats!)

COMMUNITY NEWS

By Randy B. Young
Correspondent

CHAPEL HILL –To quote an previous chestnut, when you haven’t been to Spring Haven Farm recently, you then haven’t been to Spring Haven Farm.

Since 2016, Spring Haven Farm at 5306 Homer Ruffin Road in northern Chapel Hill (off New Hope Church Road simply south of I-40) has provided a novel, family-friendly expertise onsite the place all ages can take pleasure in seasonal and year-round actions like out of doors film nights, yoga, and pumpkin carving…all within the firm of goats.

Just a few years in the past, nevertheless, the Crihfield household that owns and runs Spring Haven Farm acquired adjoining land and expanded their menu of sights—and animals. In truth, a fast tour of latest sights like tractor practice rides, gem mining, arts and crafts and face portray, and an onsite common retailer now brings guests face-to-face not solely with goats, but additionally highland cows, alpacas, emus, chickens, pigs, lambs, donkeys, and horses, in accordance with the Farm’s web site (https://www.springhavenfarm.com/).

Over the river and thru the wooden…

Cullen Crihfield defined {that a} important quantity of the growth has occurred on his household’s farm over the previous 12 months.

“Our neighbor, Andy Tapp, is an older gentleman, and he just moved to a nice house down in Florida, so he was selling this place,” Crihfield defined. “It had a junkyard and a (dilapidated) house, so it wasn’t selling very well. We told him we’d clean it all up and buy it from him for a reasonable price. He was happy, and we were happy.”

“Everything back beyond that tree line is brand new,” mentioned Danielle Kandle, pointing towards the western portion of the property. Previously at a Texas farm, Kandle has been dealing with occasion coordination, planning, and animal look after Spring Haven Farm for 2 years.

“We’ve added our alpacas, our emus,” mentioned Crihfield, gazing concerning the property. “I don’t think we had highland cows that long ago either: they’re fun to have. We added a mini golf course, a paintball shooting range, and we (added) our sheep since then, too.”

“—Our playgrounds are new too,” Kandle added.

“We have a small playground,” Crihfield affirmed, “and we just added another larger playground. We have a new tractor train, and we’ve replaced most of the fences on the farm also.”

“The animals go through a few tons of food each month,” Crihfield mentioned, “but everything we make kind of goes right back into the property.”

Spring Haven Farm is the G.O.A.T.

Through in-person, hands-on interplay, Spring Haven Farm goals to assist folks construct connections with animals, deepen their understanding of agriculture, and uncover the thrill of farm life, as acknowledged on its web site. The Farm’s mission is to offer excellent look after animals whereas fostering compassion, respect, and group.

Relatively new options at Spring Haven Farm embody mini golf, a secure, supervised capturing gallery nestled into the adjoining woods utilizing paintball markers; a gem mining journey full of crystals, fossils, and gem stones; and an arts and crafts barn with seasonal themes like fall pumpkin crafts and Christmas wreath-making. Bags stuffed with animal treats can be found for feeding and interacting with the onsite menagerie of goats, pigs, cows, chickens, geese, and extra.

On weekends, children and households can meet KatzNC, who creates dazzling face-painting designs, and adults ought to examine the location’s calendar for paint-and-sip nights with Chapel Hill’s Wine & Design…all accompanied by goats.

All occasions are particular occasions

In addition to the overall sights accessible to the general public every Wednesday via Sunday, Spring Haven Farm additionally schedules particular occasions on varied themes, equivalent to “Trivia Nights” every Wednesday (7-9 p.m.) and a “Murder Mystery Night (with Goats)” from 8-11 p.m. on Saturday, November 8.

Also in November, there will probably be a “Music Bingo Night” on Thursday, November 13 (7-9 p.m.), adopted by a “Renaissance Faire” on Saturday and Sunday (all day, each days). The Farm will stage a “Friendsgiving” celebration all day on Thursday, November 20, and Yoga with Goats at 10 a.m. on Saturday, November 22.

One group that loved Spring Haven Farm this previous Sunday was the UNC service sorority, Omega Phi Alpha (OPA).

“There’s a bunch of us here today,” mentioned OPA’s Gracie Elliot, “and basically this is one of our sisterhood events.”

“We do a lot of service projects together,” OPA member Scotlyn Wyatt defined, “so this kind of balances us getting to bond a little: we don’t want it to be all work, no play.”

“We had to reschedule because it was going to be on a rainy day,” OPA sister Maggie Waters mentioned, “but honestly, it’s like the perfect atmosphere today.”

Born to ren (faire)

Spring Haven Farm invitations the general public to take pleasure in a world of knights, magic, and merriment at their Renaissance Faire, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, November 15 and 16, from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m. every day.

“Costumes are encouraged, goats are guaranteed, and adventure awaits around every corner,” the web site acknowledged.

“This will be our first time staging the Renaissance Fair,” Crihfield mentioned, “and we’re already expecting quite a good turnout—we’re expecting about 1,000 people per day for the Ren Faire.”

Activities will embody archery, fight-a-knight demos, dwell world music and dance, stomach dancing, a residing historical past encampment by the Society for Creative Anachronism, blacksmith demonstrations, face portray and “fairy hair,” Tarot card readings…and, in fact, goats.

“Over 40 artisan vendors will (bring) a medieval flair and handcrafted treasures,” the location acknowledged, together with leather-based and armor craftspeople, jewellery and crystal distributors, books, specialty items like candles, soaps, and crochet items. Additionally, turkey legs and barbecue will probably be provided from Tasty Turkey-cue, craft beer from Durty Bull Brewery, mead and cider from Starrlight Meadery, and extra.

Best “the farm” on a Merry Christmas

Crihfield and Kandle mentioned that the month of November will see Spring Haven Farm transfer from fall into the Holiday season.

“Things are a little fluid each year, so I don’t know everything we’ll be doing for Christmas yet,” Crihfield mentioned. “We did have an elf workshop one year, and we may do that again this year. Also, we’ll have a Christmas tree lot we set up in the front. We have some companies in the mountains that sell them. We like getting the fresh Christmas trees: we buy them fresh cut right around December 1st.”

“I think we’ll have Santa again this year,” he mentioned, “so we have ‘Writing Letters to Santa’ activities, and we’ll have Santa here for the kids. Plus, we have, of course, our goats: you’ll get to pet and feed animals.”

“We also have our Christmas sweaters,” Kandle mentioned. “We dress up the animals, and I think there’s been some talks about possibly having a Christmas market out here.”

“People can come out here for the animals, s’mores, and hot cocoa,” Crihfield mentioned, “and just have a fun family day.”

Crihfield mentioned that new forested trails are being added at Spring Haven Farm and needs to be accessible as early as subsequent week for the Renaissance Faire.

“And it goes right down to a little river in the back—New Hope Creek—and that’s very pretty,” he mentioned.

And simply in time for the Holidays, when it’s “over the river and through the wood,” to take pleasure in some seasonal festivities, and, naturally…goats.

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A Dartmouth College graduate, Randy B. Young first labored as an award-winning promoting copywriter in New Hampshire, then in communications at UNC for over 30 years. He maintained an award-winning newspaper characteristic overlaying Recreation and Exercise within the Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Orange County. Retired and residing in Chapel Hill, Randy continues to jot down for regional publications each regionally and in New England, and his guide, And the Stars Flew With Us, is offered via Amazon and at unbiased bookstores. He coaches monitor at Chapel Hill High and has a pictures enterprise, Pierless (sic) Photography. This reporter might be reached at: Information@TheLocalReporter.press