| |  | info@horseshoebayfarms.org | | Welcome to the latest edition of the Horseshoe Bay Farms newsletter! We're thrilled to bring you up to speed on all the exciting developments that are upcoming in the 2026 season! | | |
Fourth of July weekend is right around the corner, and we are gearing up for one of the busiest weekends of the entire season!
Be sure to catch us in the Egg Harbor Fourth of July Parade, where we’ll be spreading holiday cheer and handing out a special surprise this year. Keep an eye out and grab a goodie while supplies last!
The celebration continues with our Annual Car Show on Sunday, July 5th from 10:00 AM–2:00 PM. This event has become one of the highlights of the summer, bringing together families, friends, car enthusiasts, and visitors for a day full of classic cars, and beautiful scenery at the farm.
Guests can stroll through the gardens, explore Stickwork, enjoy concessions, and admire an incredible lineup of vehicles ranging from timeless antiques to modern classics.
Awards will be presented in 10 exciting categories:
• Best in Show
• People’s Choice
• Antique Car (Pre-1950s)
• Classic Car – 1950s
• Classic Car – 1960s
• Classic Car – 1970s–1980s
• Custom/Modified
• Classic Truck
• Corvette
• Modern (Post-1990s)
Mark your calendars and join us for an unforgettable Fourth of July weekend at the farm! If you are interested in volunteering, please email kiley@horseshoebayfarms.org
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We’re excited to announce a brand-new addition to this season’s events at the farm — an introductory Tai Chi class! Whether you’re completely new to Tai Chi or simply curious about trying something different, this class is a wonderful opportunity to slow down and experience the benefits of this timeless practice.
The class will be held on June 27th from 10:00 AM–12:00 PM, with a rain date scheduled for July 18th. Participants will learn basic movements, breathing techniques, and the calming flow that makes Tai Chi both relaxing and energizing. This beginner-friendly session is designed for all experience levels, so no prior knowledge is needed.
We’re hopeful this class will help us gauge community interest and, with a great turnout, pave the way for future Tai Chi classes and wellness activities at the farm.
If you have any questions on the day, feel free to stop by the farm and speak with Senior Master Peter Kopola.
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Farm Dog Spotlight: Finley
This year, we’re excited to introduce a new farm dog—Finley!
Dan, our Operations Manager and Secretary, and his wife, Claire, welcomed Finley into their family this past winter. Finley is an Australian Shepherd mix who is estimated to be about three years old. He was found wandering the streets of St. Louis, Missouri, and was rescued through Midwest Australian Shepherd Rescue.
In January, Dan and Claire made a nine-hour drive to bring Finley home from his foster family. Since then, he has settled right in and enjoys early mornings, watching the world go by from the window, and tagging along to work with his dad.
You may spot Finley around the farm from time to time, making his rounds and helping keep an eye on things—especially making sure the animals stay away from our flowers and vegetables!
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What's Growing in the Veggie Garden?
The vegetable garden is finally planted now that warmer weather has arrived!
This year, we’re excited to try a few new crops. One of the most unique additions is luffa gourds. Have you heard of them? They’re actually the plant that produces natural luffa sponges. We can’t wait to watch them grow!
We’ve also added eggplants and butternut squash to the garden this season. Along with those, we’re growing all of our favorites, including tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, herbs, and so much more.
We’re looking forward to a plentiful harvest and hope to have plenty of fresh, farm-grown vegetables available at our farm stand throughout the summer and fall. Be sure to keep an eye out for delicious, locally grown produce in the months ahead!
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The Flower Garden Comes to Life
Dahlia season is just around the corner, and we are eagerly awaiting the spectacular display of color that will soon fill the garden. Every year, the dahlias become one of the highlights of the farm, attracting visitors, and pollinators.
This spring, we planted approximately 200 dahlia tubers in preparation for another beautiful growing season. Each tuber was carefully planted by digging a hole about six inches deep, adding a teaspoon of bone meal to encourage strong root development, positioning the tuber, covering it with fresh soil, and finishing with a light application of snail bait to help protect the young plants as they emerge.
As with any garden, Mother Nature keeps us on our toes. Unfortunately, some of our perennial plants did not survive the combination of strong winds and the harsh winter conditions.
Over the coming weeks, we'll be replacing those losses and introducing several new varieties to add even more color, texture, and interest throughout the season.
With warmer temperatures arriving and the garden beginning to wake up, we're looking forward to watching the annual flowers bloom, and transform the space.
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Mushrooms
by Jordan Tempas
A new and fun addition to the farm this season has been our experiment with growing mushrooms. As amateurs, we chose both a beginner growing process and mushroom species.
The “bucket method” is a low-maintenance step-by-step process that involved few materials and could be paired with a beginner species, oyster mushrooms. It is a very repeatable way to go about cultivating mushrooms on your own, with the timeframe lasting about 3-5 weeks start to finish. We currently have two buckets that will soon be coming into their “fruiting” stage- we should start seeing mushroom growth emerge from drilled holes all throughout the sides of each 5-gallon bucket.
Oyster mushrooms have quite a few different variations, but the two types we chose were blue and pink oyster- the reason being for a potentially visually striking display before mushrooms are harvested by cutting/twisting them off. These mushrooms will be edible and best used in cooking, containing a mild flavor and many nutritional benefits.
Let’s keep fingers crossed that our growth comes about as intended!
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While losing our hives this winter was disappointing, it also provided an opportunity to learn and improve. This year, we have a better understanding of how to monitor and manage mite levels. We have already taken preventative measures by testing early and placing Apivar strips in the hives to help control mite populations before they become a problem.
With our new bees and increased knowledge, we are hopeful for a strong honey harvest in August and healthier hives heading into next winter.
Speaking of honey, we are excited to invite the community to join us for our Bee Hive Opening Sessions! These events will be held on a Friday once a month: June 26th, July 24th, and August 26th.
The June and July sessions will feature hive openings and provide participants with the opportunity to suit up, get a close-up look inside an active hive, and learn more about the fascinating world of honey bees. If all goes well, our August session will include a honey harvest demonstration, where you'll be able to see the process firsthand, learn how honey is extracted, and even take some fresh honey home with you!
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Family Fun Day is returning on August 1st from 11:00 AM–2:00 PM!
This special day is packed with activities and entertainment for children and families of all ages. We are thrilled to welcome back the beloved Alpine Train, offering fun rides around the farm and giving guests a unique way to explore the grounds and enjoy the scenery.
We’re also excited to host the Bookmobile once again, giving kids and families the chance to browse books, discover new favorites, and celebrate the joy of reading.
The fun doesn’t stop there! This year’s Family Fun Day will also feature:
• A petting zoo where kids can meet and interact with friendly farm animals
• A live beehive opening and educational demonstration to learn more about the fascinating world of bees and pollinators
• A magician performing tricks and interactive entertainment throughout the day
• A costume closet filled with fun outfits and accessories for imaginative play and dress-up fun
If you are interested in volunteering, please email kiley@horseshoebayfarms.org
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A Meadow of Color
We’re excited to share some new additions to the meadow this summer! Along with an expanded pumpkin patch and corn area, we’re introducing a Pick-Your-Own Zinnia Patch. Filled with vibrant blooms in a wide variety of colors.
We were fortunate to receive wonderful help from Inspired Employment, whose team assisted with planting both the corn in the pumpkin patch and the zinnia patch. With nearly 700 planting holes to fill, their hard work made a tremendous difference.
The pumpkins will be planted in mid-June and will feature even more varieties and colors than in previous years. After learning from last season—and perhaps getting a little too excited to plant early—we’re being patient and waiting for warmer, more reliable growing conditions before putting them in the ground.
We're thrilled to share that in the coming weeks we'll be breaking ground on our greenhouse, which will help us continue expanding what we can grow and offer at the farm.
| | | | | Welcoming Our Seasonal Interns | | |
Claire Leonard
Claire Leonard will be a sophomore this fall at the University of Missouri–Columbia, where she is studying Agricultural Education with an emphasis in Communications and Leadership and minoring in Agribusiness Management.
This past April, she traveled with her National Agri‑Marketing Association team to St. Louis to present a marketing proposal in a national competition, an experience that strengthened her interest in agricultural marketing and strategic communication. This fall, she will serve as the Public Relations Chair for her professional agriculture sorority, Sigma Alpha, a photographer for her campus church organization, and the Vice President of Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow.
After graduation, Claire hopes to pursue a career in marketing or communications within the agricultural industry, with a long‑term goal of developing her own agritourism farm.
Claire has enjoyed spending the past few weeks in Door County, experiencing the area for the first time. She hopes to explore new hiking trails, visit local farmers markets, listen to live music, and meet new people. She has already loved working on the farm and looks forward to continuing to learn, grow, and engage with the community throughout her time here.
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Billy Nusbaum
"Hi, I’m Billy Nusbaum. I’m from DePere, WI. I’m going to be a senior at the University of Wisconsin- Green Bay, where I major in public administration with an emphasis on non-profit management.
In my free time, I do a lot of camping and backpacking. Last year, I went out to Banff National Park and spent about a week up there camping. Along With that I’ve been all over the country on different road trips and camping trips having gone out to glacier national park, and crater lake national park the year before. I’m hoping to get more camping done this summer with the amazing parks throughout Door County, as well as northern Wisconsin, and Upper Michigan.
Being from the Green Bay Area I’m a massive Wisconsin sports fan as well. I try to get to as many packers games as possible throughout the year. There’s nothing more fun than going to packers’ tailgates with family and friends and then watching the packers get a win on Sunday. I’m hoping that badger’s football are able to make a big turn around this year as I watch every game with my dad. Also that badgers hockey both man and woman’s can continue to dominate, hoping the men’s can win the big one this year."
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Welcome Center & Mercantile
Wednesday – Sunday
10 AM – 3 PM
Guided Tours
Wednesday – Sunday
11 AM and 1 PM
Hours and Times Subject to Change
Check Our Website
for Availability and Register
www.horseshoebayfarms.org
920 – 495 - 9988
P.O. Box 296
7212 Horseshoe Bay Rd.
Egg Harbor, WI 54209
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