PRESS RELEASE (WHTC-AM/FM) — With construction about to start to expand Critter Barn education farm’s with a $6 million new 36-acre site in Zeeland Township, a celebration fundraiser and open house is set for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday Oct. 24, 2020.
The new site will include multiple livestock barns and educational facilities at 2950 80th Ave.
Critter Barn, founded in 1990 by Mary Rottschafer to teach visitors and school children about farming and provide up-close, hands-on experiences with live farm animals, boasts more than 100,000 visitors to its current three-acre site, 9275 Adams St., and also hosts Traveling Farm events around Michigan.
“The present site is too small to handle the increasing number of visitors who come to the Critter Barn. There is no room to grow and parking is not ideal,” Rottschafer said.
The initial expansion plan is for eight barns on the new 36-acre farm site, including a 3,500 square-foot gambrel roof, post and beam barn. The barn will be a home for many of the Critter Barn’s cows, dairy goats, pigs, sheep and donkeys as well as classrooms.
“It’s our goal to create a farm with a variety of experiences ranging from a small dairy cow barn with a milking parlor to buildings focused on little creatures like chicks, ducklings, bunnies and cats,” said Rottschafer.
Smaller barns will be built to showcase how turkey, cows, hogs and sheep are raised today. There will also be a solar powered mill and even a giant tree house with walkways through the woods on the farm.
Construction costs on the new buildings range from over $500,000 for the large barn to a few thousand for small-animal buildings.
The site work and building construction of the new Critter Barn campus is under the direction of Midwest Construction Group of Zeeland.
“We’ve built hundreds of buildings across Michigan in the past ten years, but this is unique. It’s our first educational farm,” said Scott Geerlings, Midwest Construction president and partner.
Rottschafer said Critter Barn will continue working with the Baker College Vet Tech program and classes at Ottawa County’s Tech Center to expand educational offerings and develop programs to serve high school and college students.
“Our Critter Crew — youth volunteers who work side-by side with our staff — is the backbone of our operation,” said Rottschafer. “We’re all about growing relationships with children and youth and impacting their lives through the farm,
Today’s open house and fundraiser at the new Critter Barn home site, 2950 80th Ave. includes:
• Snacks by Marybeth Apple Catering
• Live music by the Dune Grass Band
• Horse drawn buggy rides
• Visits with Critter Barn animal friends
For details, or to RSVP for the open-house fundraiser, visit critterbarn.org/
In addition to cash donations, donors can also sponsor animal pens, classrooms, teaching stations and equipment. To donate, visit critterbarn.org/give.
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