| |  | info@horseshoebayfarms.org | | Welcome to the latest edition of the Horseshoe Bay Farms newsletter! The farm is in full swing this summer and we can't wait to share it with you! | | |
Fourth of July weekend was packed with excitement at the farm, and we couldn’t have asked for a better turnout. Our 4th Annual Car Show was another huge success, bringing 65 incredible vehicles to the property. More than 700 visitors spent the day strolling through the rows of cars, chatting with owners, and soaking in the beautiful summer scenery. It was wonderful seeing familiar faces as well as first‑time guests experiencing the farm for the first time.
A huge thank‑you goes out to all the car owners, volunteers, staff, and attendees who helped make this year’s show so memorable. This tradition wouldn't be possible without all your care and support.
The annual Fourth of July Parade in Egg Harbor was another fantastic highlight. We handed out red and blue rubber ducks along with Tootsie Rolls, and the ducks were definitely a crowd favorite. It was so fun watching parade‑goers of all ages light up with excitement as they caught them.
Between the parade festivities, the car show, and welcoming visitors throughout the weekend, the farm was buzzing with energy. It was a full and joyful way to celebrate the holiday and our wonderful community.
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The flower garden is also quickly approaching its peak! While our dahlias are still just beginning to show their colors, in just a few short weeks the garden should be bursting with blooms. By September, we expect the dahlia beds to be at their absolute best, with an incredible variety of colors, shapes, and sizes filling the garden.
In the meantime, there is still plenty to enjoy throughout the flower garden. Hydrangeas, coneflowers, daisies, phlox, and many other perennials are putting on a beautiful summer display. Each week brings something new into bloom, making the garden a little different every time you visit.
The zinnia patch in the meadow is also bursting with color. Be sure to stop by and pick a few blooms of your own while they’re at their peak!
This past month, we also gave our irrigation system an upgrade. We installed new drip lines throughout the dahlia beds, providing the plants with the deep, consistent watering they need to establish strong roots and produce beautiful blooms. This new system will make watering more efficient while helping us give our dahlias the care they need during the hottest parts of the summer.
We’ve also been busy adding and rearranging plants throughout the garden. A few new perennials have been planted, and we’ve divided and transplanted peonies, irises, lilies, and other established plants to help fill in some of the garden’s bare spots. Some of these newly moved plants may look a little tired right now as they settle into their new homes, but we’re thinking ahead! With a little time to establish their roots, we hope they’ll return next spring stronger and fuller, helping the garden become even more lush and colorful.
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Volunteer Spotlight: Carol and Gordon Palm
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We are delighted to highlight Carol and Gordon this season for their dedicated support to the farm. Every Wednesday, Carol joins us in the Welcome Center, greeting visitors with her friendly smile and kind presence. Her husband, Gordon, also lends a hand at our events from time to time, and we are grateful for the help they both bring to the farm!
Carol provided her perspective of her volunteer experience with us below:
"Without a doubt, I have the best volunteer gig in all of Door County. On Wednesday afternoons I arrive in the HSBF Welcome Center to take over hosting duties from the morning volunteer Kim. The first afternoon guests are often just finishing a tour, and filled with enthusiasm generated by all they have learned, their comments on the order of “who knew there was so much history here,” are sure indications that the HSBF Foundation is achieving one of its
missions of preserving history through education.
Perhaps the thing I like best about hosting in the Welcome Center is meeting a new guest who has no prior knowledge of the farm. Many a visitor’s first question simply is, “what is this place,” and we are eager to fill them in. While we have a story to tell about Horseshoe Bay Farms, guests have stories they are eager to share as well. What better way to while away a summer afternoon than listening to those stories told by folks from far away or near, stories that often carry a hint of nostalgia as folks describe growing up on a farm or working on a farm or having some other connection to farming.
Young family visitors enjoy the open space where children can play safely. The little ones frolic in the hide-and-seek world of the stick works and farm with toy tractors by the manure shed. Slightly older children entertain themselves on a scavenger hunt and claim a prize at the end of their search.
During quiet times between guest visits, one or another of the interns Claire or Billy might stop by the center to say “hello” as they go about their tasks. Program coordinator Kiley is ever present answering questions and giving advice when asked. Even the Harnois’s farm dog Finley flashes in and out of the welcome center to make sure that nothing there requires his attention at the moment. I love the energy of the young persons who work at the farm, and one of the privileges in volunteering is observing their initiative, talent, and creativity at work alongside volunteers to keep the gardens and grounds beautiful.
In keeping with his history of volunteering, Gordon, a retired manufacturing executive, pitches in to help during special events at HSBF. He remembers his first volunteer experience as a child assigned by his parents to serve tables at the local Grange hall during fundraiser dinners. He went on as an adult to advise a Junior Achievement club, and to coach little league, youth softball, and basketball, and to help with other projects benefiting young people. Gordon and I met at the University Of Illinois. After our marriage, Gordon launched his career and I taught high school English. Following the birth of our daughter and son, I spent full time
taking care of them and volunteering in various service organizations, eventually returning to graduate studies and earning a Ph.D. For the last two decades before retirement, I was an adjunct English Professor.
After retiring, we moved to coastal Georgia and have spent the past twenty summers in the cooler climate of Door County. Both of us grew up on farms in Illinois. Perhaps it is that history that sparks our interest in the preservation of Horse Shoe Bay Farm. We are grateful for the individuals who took the initiative to form the Horseshoe Bay Farms nonprofit organization. Volunteering at the farm is a small way to help the foundation endure and achieve its mission. Please join us in volunteering at the farm. Restore your spirit in the tranquil setting of HSBF. Work with amiable new friends and meet interesting guests. As I say, BEST VOLUNTEER GIG IN DOOR COUNTY!"
-Carol Palm
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Finley the Farm Dog
Finley had his turn in the spotlight with a photoshoot around the farm! With 8.5 acres to explore, there's no shortage of room for him to run, play, and enjoy farm life.
Whether he's greeting visitors, following staff around the property, or simply relaxing in the sunshine, Finley has become a favorite around the farm. He always brings a smile to our guests, and it just wouldn't be the same without our four-legged farm dog.
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Greenhouse
We're so excited about the newest addition to the farm: our greenhouse! Nestled in the prairie near the zinnia and pumpkin patch, this beautiful new structure adds a charming view for everyone driving by.
As we settle into the space, we're dreaming up all kinds of possibilities. From growing seasonal plants like poinsettias during the winter months to hosting educational programs that teach the community about greenhouse gardening and plant care, we can't wait to see all the ways this space will grow and serve our visitors. Stay tuned for more updates as our plans come to life!
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H.C Kibbey & The United Fruit Growers
Harley Clayton Kibbey, born February 27th, 1875, was one of the key figures behind the United Fruit Growers Company. Before entering agriculture, Kibbey built his fortune in the music industry, owning a network of music stores throughout the Midwest before establishing himself in Chicago.
Kibbey's greatest business success came through the Kibbey Manufacturing Company, which specialized in producing perforated music rolls used in automatic musical instruments such as player pianos. Although he did not invent the music roll, Kibbey recognized its commercial potential and purchased the manufacturing rights for $300,000 in 1907, the equivalent of roughly $10 million today.
Beyond music rolls, Kibbey's company developed several innovative products. Among them was the Concertophone, a spring-powered, coin-operated graphophone that allowed customers to select individual records for playback. The company also produced the Guardian Coin Detector, an anti-fraud device designed to reject counterfeit coins and brass slugs commonly used to cheat vending and entertainment machines.
Kibbey's connection to Horseshoe Bay Farms came through his role as president and general manager of the United Fruit Growers Company. In this position, he helped establish the foundation of the farm's early fruit-growing operation. While Kibbey appears to have departed after the Murphy family assumed control from United Fruit Growers, his leadership and early investments were instrumental in creating the framework that allowed Horseshoe Bay Farms to grow into what we have today.
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The veggie garden and meadow are looking especially promising this year! Our expanded pumpkin patch is already bursting with little pumpkins! Over the next few weeks, we’ll get to watch them grow and transform into the perfect fall decorations of all shapes and sizes.
Over in the veggie garden, the season has been plentiful. We did have a few bunny troubles early on, but we discovered that placing rubber snakes throughout the garden has been a surprisingly effective deterrent!
We’ve had an especially great crop of zucchini and peppers this year, with something to harvest almost every day. Our new arbors are also working wonderfully, with birdhouse gourds, watermelon, and cantaloupe climbing their way up the wire. Walking underneath the arbors feels a little magical, with fruit growing overhead and vines creating a leafy canopy around you.
It’s been a wonderful growing season so far, and we’re excited to see what the rest of the summer and fall brings!
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The roadside farm stand is looking just beautiful this time of year! We are constantly filling it up with a new harvest of goods like tart cherries from our cherry tree, herbs, kale, assorted flower bouquets, peppers, cucumbers, gourds, and much more.
Before we know it, the farm stand will be filled with beautiful, colorful dahlia bouquets! Our dahlias are growing quickly, and we’re looking forward to sharing them with visitors as they begin to bloom.
As summer turns to fall, the stand will transition with the season and be stocked with pumpkins galore!
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Check Out What's New in the Welcome Center
The Welcome Center is filling up with more beautiful, locally made items!
A special thank you to Mary Theisen for her generous donation of handmade wooden cutting boards. We’ve also added more quilted potholders and tote bags made by our lovely Nancy Nicholas and Marilu. Our popular license plate hats are also back in stock in a variety of fun colors.
Be sure to stop in during your next visit and see what’s new!
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What's Buzzing with the Bees
The bees have been keeping us on our toes recently. During the first few rainy weeks of June, we noticed that our second hive began to swarm. A bee swarm is a natural reproductive process where a queen and half the colony leave an overcrowded hive to establish a new home. Although stressful, this process was so neat to experience and see for ourselves. The bees swarmed to a nearby tree branch, where they gathered together and remained surprisingly calm. They were so peaceful and unbothered that you could gently place a hand through them without disturbing the swarm.
We've been keeping up with the hives by checking in on them at least once a week, determining what each hive needs and making adjustments. We checked the hives for vaorra mites, parasitic mites that attack and feed on honey bees. A significant mite infestation can lead to the death of a honey bee colony, usually in the late autumn through early spring.
To our surprise, our mite numbers were low. We're staying hopeful that they will stay low throughout the season and our bees will survive the winter.
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Boys & Girls Club
We recently had the Boys & Girls Club back out on the farm, and we had so much fun. All three groups kicked off their morning with crafts, everything from wildflower seed‑ball making to rock painting to decorating wooden animals. The kids got creative fast and weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty.
To help them explore the property, we sent them on scavenger hunts where they searched for insects, solved clues like little detectives, and played bingo as they ran around the farm.
We wrapped up each day with intense games of tug of war (always a fan favorite), potato sack races, gaga ball, and soccer matches.
And of course, the Bookmobile was a huge hit. Every kid picked out a book to take home, and many made their own bookmarks to go with it.
We hope the kids had as much fun as we did, and maybe learned something new while they visited. It’s always a joy having such an energetic crowd on the farm, bringing enthusiasm and brightening our days.
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We could not be happier with how our Family Fun Day turned out on August 1st. The community really showed up for a magical Saturday on the farm.
We had magician shows, a petting zoo full of goats, bunnies, baby chicks, a Highland cow, ducks, and plenty more furry friends. The Egg Harbor Historical Society hosted a pennant making station, and the Bookmobile was open for families to explore and take home a new read.
The Alpine Train honked its horn and gave visitors a fun ride around the farm, and the face‑painting booth was a nonstop hit. Between the lemonade stand and the costume closet, kids were running around with painted faces, superhero capes, crowns, silly glasses, and more.
We also opened up the bee hives and were able to teach kids and families about the bee process and how we harvest our honey, which was a
highlight for many.
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Mark your calendar!
We’re excited to try something new at the farm this fall! Join us Friday, September 11th from 12–3 PM for a relaxing afternoon of live music in the flower garden.
Natalie Kuepper will be joining us with her guitar and playing throughout the afternoon. We’ll have some tables and chairs available, but feel free to bring your own picnic, drinks, chairs, or blanket and find a spot to enjoy the music.
We hope to see you there!
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Welcome Center & Mercantile
Open 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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