PLEASE READ THIS!!!!
If you are short of time here are the highlights:
1. Admission is $10 for all ages. Teeny tiny babies who Farmer Mary will not be interacting with do not have to pay. Adopted (and Foster) children do not have to pay. (Farmer Mary adopted two of her four children) Cash. . Cash ONLY-Farmer Mary has had way too many bad checks returned lately! No credit cards. Please be ready to pay on arrival. No change is available. Please respect our admission price. No change is available. Please respect our admission price. Please be prepared to pay by cash or check on arrival in box at gate. Please pay $10 per person. No change is available. Farmer Mary has eggs, peacock feathers and clay ornaments for sale for $5 each.
2. Our parking lot is small so please park CLOSE together. Please park by pulling your car up very close to a plywood “pig” which marks parking spaces. Someone will be parking behind you so park efficiently please. Overflow parking is on Ghoston Road in front of the farm. (All four wheels must be off the road.) The address is 12936 Ghoston Road, Wake Forest NC 27587. Located near Falls Lake at the end of Six Forks Road at Highway 98.
Please make an appointment to visit. Text Farmer Mary with farm visit requests. Please state dates you want the ages, ages that will interact with the animals, remind Farmer Mary if you have visited the farm, mention specific animals you want to see or if you hope to collect and buy eggs. Please try to provide as much information possible so Farmer Mary can simply reply “yes” and avoid endless back and forth texts. 919-244-1800. Please do not FB message, Instagram message, leave voice mails, or try to email. Texting ONLY please. 919-244-1800. Please text only between 8am and 10pm. Farmer Mary will not return texts made at 6am or midnight!
Please don’t turn down our neighbors private road behind our barn just because your GPS tells you to. Our entrance is very well marked. Please look for arrows and follow them.
3. Please check the specific open dates and hours posted very regularly on our website or facebook page (Winterpast Farm) and Instagram (winterpast_farm) then text to arrange a visit DURING those open hours. Please don’t just drop in. Farmer Mary likes to know when people are coming so she can be available near the gate. She doesn’t want to be ten acres back fixing a fence when you arrive!
Please don’t text “can we come Thursday?” PLEASE BE SPECIFIC to avoid endless back and forth texts. For example you could text “group of five moms and six kids this Thursday June 12 at noon for picnic lunch and tour?” Farmer Mary is very busy and cannot chat on the phone. Please text only between 8am and 10pm. Farmer Mary will not return texts made at 6am or midnight! YOU will be very happy if she doesn’t spend all her time on the phone while YOU are visiting. Basic questions are ALL answered in the longer version of “your visit” at www.winterpast.org.
4. BRING FOOD FOR FEEDING THE ANIMALS! Short list is whole wheat saltines, any whole wheat crackers, whole wheat bread, plain cereal, carrots, celery, thinly sliced apples, grapes. No white bread or salty snacks like chips and pretzels. Longer list of foods is at “your visit” at www.winterpast.org. Farmer Mary will have $5 mixed buckets for sale. You will have more fun with more animal food!
If you choose to not bring animal food and choose to not buy animal food please DO NOT allow your children to mooch animal food from other visitors. Most visitors who choose to are able to hold bunnies, guinea pigs, chicks when available, chickens, baby goats and whatever else is small and cuddly. Most will snuggle considerably longer if you are feeding them.
5. Yes there is a bathroom (port-o-john in the parking lot) and hand washing (sink and hot water are at the barn). Farmer Mary also has wipes, sanitizer, a first aid kit and bug spray available for farm visitors.
6. Please plan to keep a VERY close eye on your children while you are here. Please do not allow them to open closed cages, to close open cages, to stick fingers in cages or to chase or pick up any animals. Please do not plan to drop off children at the farm.
Thank you for supporting a small local farm family.
—————————-
Now, the longer, more informative post Farmer Mary REALLY hopes you will read before scheduling your visit.
Here is some basic information about visiting Winterpast Farm. Please read it instead of calling Farmer Mary with simple questions. She is BUSY most days all day with visitors or groups and cannot stop to chat or give directions or answer questions she has already covered here. Please respect her time. When you are visiting you will be glad if she doesn’t have to answer alot of phone calls during YOUR time at the farm! Please read to the end!!
The best way to schedule a farm visit is to look at the open hours posted on the website (www.winterpast.org) or Facebook page (Winterpast Farm) and then contact Farmer Mary by text (919-244-1800) and suggest a specific date and specific time for a visit by a certain number of people. She may say fine or may ask you to pick another time or another date. Please text only between 8am and 10pm. Farmer Mary will not return texts made at 6am or midnight!Birthdays and away events and large groups sometimes get scheduled even after she posts the “open” hours. She tries to update farm open hours very very regularly. On rainy days she posts updates id the farm is closing due to rain.
WHAT IS THE ADDRESS??
12936 Ghoston Road Wake Forest 27587
Located at the end of Six Forks Road just past Highway 98 at Falls Lake
WHEN IS THE FARM OPEN??
The farm is open, usually, most weekdays including holidays, weekdays, most weekends and Sundays. The FARM OPEN schedule is posted very regularly on the Winterpast farm facebook page and on the home page of the website. This varies widely week to week. Farmer Mary is a single mother with four young adult children and occasionally has to be away from the farm.
Please do not just drop by the farm.
PLEASE SET UP YOUR VISIT IN ADVANCE AND DON’T JUST DROP BY! Farmer Mary may be away at a school or church or other event; she may have a group at the farm for a birthday or field trip; she may be busy with one of her four young adult children; she may be worming the goats or birthing piglets….After contacting Farmer Mary by texting her to ask if your size party can visit at a certain time (please be specific and don’t just say today or this afternoon. You might text “could our party of 3 adults and 5 children come on friday at noon?” so she can quickly respond without endless back and forth texts.Please text only between 8am and 10pm. Farmer Mary will not return texts made at other times.
You will be glad if Farmer Mary doesn’t have to stop endlessly to chat or text on her phone to answer basic questions already answered here while YOU are visiting the farm (919-244-1800) Farmer Mary will set up a date and time to meet with your family or group to show you the barn, introduce the animals, and feed and pet and hold the animals. Most visitors who choose to are able to hold bunnies, guinea pigs, chicks when available, chickens, baby goats and whatever else is small and cuddly.
HOW MUCH IS ADMISSION??
Farm visits are $10 per person, all ages. Adopted children visit at no charge. There are old reviews of Winterpast Farm on the Internet showing the old price of $5 per person. If you see one, please let Farmer Mary know so she can try to get the review updated or deleted so people are not misled. The price changed several years ago to reflect the rising cost of feeding the animals and the increasing ongoing rescue work Farmer Mary does with unwanted pets. Please respect our admission price. Please do not plan to debate our admission price at the gate.Cash ONLY-Farmer Mary has had way too many bad checks returned lately!
Please pay on arrival. Otherwise it is easy to forget and to leave without paying. Please pay $10 per person. Farmer Mary does not have change. There are items to purchase including fresh eggs, peacocks feathers, and unique clay ornaments made by Farmer Mary all at $5 each which you can use to “make change” if necessary. Cash. Cash ONLY-Farmer Mary has had way too many bad checks returned lately!
The average time of a farm tour is about an hour, although you are welcome to stay longer after Farmer Mary moves on to welcome another group. Some visitors bring lunch and stay all day! Most visitors who choose to are able to hold bunnies, guinea pigs, chicks when available, chickens, baby goats and whatever else is small and cuddly. However, adults must stay with their children and not allow them to chase animals or open gates or pens. Some groups bring lunch or a picnic dinner.`There are picnic tables in a “chicken free” zone by the barn (please help to keep it chicken free and refrain from feeding any stray chickens who might be nearby) and another picnic area is inside the gate where it is very obvious that chickens and other animals will be very close to you.
FRIENDS OF THE FARM
Many families and individuals visit Winterpast Farm regularly and you may see someone enter and head straight to the back pasture or let themselves into pens to hold animals. That does NOT mean you can do the same. This is the privilege of “friends of the farm” and it is earned by visiting regularly, helping out occasionally at the farm and exhibiting good behavior during visits. On your next visit you may choose to have a tour (the animals and farm exhibits are always changing) or you may wander around and feed animals, swing on swings, hold animals, walk a pig or goat on a leash, picnic…
There are few rules at the farm but no chasing animals, no picking up chickens, no feeding tiny baby goats and lambs (who are nursing!) and NO OPENING PENS! We have had several naughty children open pens lately and then we all spend our visit time chasing and capturing those animals. There is a good reason every animal is in a certain place, whether in a pen, front yard or pasture.
WHEN IS THE FARM OPEN??
Farmer Mary keeps her open dates and hours schedule updated regularly on the Winterpast Farm Facebook page and the www.winterpast.org website. The schedule may vary widely week to week.
Texting (919-244-1800) is ALWAYS the best way to contact Farmer Mary, especially for last minute requests for visits. Please TEXT, don’t call and interrupt someone else’s farm visit. When you text please be specific with number of people, exact date and time of request. This eliminates much back and forth texting. Please text only between 8am and 10pm. Farmer Mary will not return texts made at other times.If she is busy with her four young adult children or with her animals at a preschool, church, away event, group visit, or Birthday party she will NOT have time to chat on the phone.
WHAT TO BRING ALONG ON YOUR FARM VISIT
When you have a date and time settled with Farmer Mary for your visit, it’s time to plan what you will bring along to the farm:
—Food for animals can include thinly sliced apples, carrots (any size although new visitors might like to bring longer ones (sliced into long skinny pieces is ideal). The ones with greens attached are tasty to animals on both ends as well as lovely in your photos) kale, cereal (any kind although less sugary the better) crackers (any kind although wheat is best) whole wheat bread (WHITE BREAD IS NOT HEALTHY FOR ANY ANIMAL TO EAT!) grapes, celery, green beans and more. Just nothing moldy and no meat or cheese (unless it is a treat for CHARLIE the farm dog!)
—plenty of water for hot days
—possibly a picnic lunch or supper? Farmer Mary has picnic tables set up in several areas. She also has hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes and hot water and soap available for hand washing.
The food visitors bring are just treats for the animals. Farmer Mary regularly heads to Tractor Supply or Southern States for feed for all her animals. If you want to donate feed to the animals here is the types food Farmer Mary regularly buys at Tractor Supply or Southern States:
Whole corn
Pig food
Cracked corn
Scratch feed
Rabbit feed (any brand)
Goat food (any brand)
Sheep food (any brand)
Sweet feed (for goats, or labeled for all livestock, any breed)
Doggy Bag brand dog food at Tractor Supply (for the emu)
Shredded. Beet pulp
Poultry feed- any brand, crumbles or pellets
THANK YOU for supporting a small local farm family!
PARKING
When you get to the farm (12936 Ghoston Road Wake Forest 27587) pull in the gravel drive by the big plywood llama and petting zoo sign. Please PARK CLOSELY TOGETHER in our small lot. Please pull up to very close to the fence or very close to the small wooden pigs marking parking spots and keep others in mind. Someone will be parking behind you and needs room to move their car. There is parking for at least 20 cars in the parking lot if YOU park mindfully of others.
Even if your GPS says “turn” DO NOT turn down the adjoining neighbors private road just behind the barn. This happens regularly and is very annoying to the neighbors. Please look for the signs and follow the arrows to the farm entrance.
If the lot is full you can park on Ghoston Road in front of the farm (wheels off the road) or on Waterline Road just below the farm entrance.
Ringing the new doorbell or Texting Farmer Mary when you arrive is always a good idea especially if you are early or late. She wouldn’t want to be ten acres back with you waiting at the front gate!
919-244-1800 (text don’t call)Please text only between 8am and 10pm. Farmer Mary will not return texts made at other times.
PLEASE PARK MINDFULLY (of other visitors)! Farmer Mary has a new parking lot with plywood pigs marking parking spots. Please “park at a pig”!
PLEASE PAY WHEN YOU ENTER
When you enter the gate you can pay your admission (cash) in the wooden box at the gate or pay Farmer Mary. Please pay on arrival. Otherwise it is easy to forget and to leave without paying. Please pay $10 per person. This is the price of admission. Please pay $10 PER PERSON.Cash ONLY-Farmer Mary has had way too many bad checks returned lately!
Farmer Mary DOES NOT HAVE CHANGE. There are items to purchase including fresh eggs, peacocks feathers, and unique clay ornaments made by Farmer Mary all at $5 each which you can use to “make change” if necessary.
PLEASE RESPECT OUR ADMISSION PRICE
Farmer Mary is raising young adult children, paying for college and feeding many animals with her farm income; this is NOT a sideline hobby. Admission is $10 per person. Adults $10. Children $10. Toddlers $10. Tiny babies in arms or strollers do not have to pay since they will not be interacting. Adopted children and Foster children visit at no charge. (Farmer Mary adopted two of her four children.) Farmer Mary does not have change. Please have exact cash (or buy a dozen fresh eggs $5 and/ or a beautiful peacock feather $5). Cash ONLY-Farmer Mary has had way too many bad checks returned lately!Thank you.
Farmer Mary will greet you and help you transfer your animal feed into bucket which is easier to carry around. She has $5 mixed buckets of animal food for sale in case you forgot. Most visitors who choose to are able to hold bunnies, guinea pigs, chicks when available, chickens, baby goats and whatever else is small and cuddly.
Feel free to feed animals (offer any animal anything; sometimes they will surprise you: did you know the goose loves carrots and the peacocks love grapes?) DO NOT offer food to tiny baby goats and lambsvwho are nursing. You may bring dog treats for the dogs. Please do not feed dogs crackers or bread. Feel free to take pictures…
WATCH YOUR CHILDREN AT ALL TIMES
Please keep an eye on your children and do not allow them to open cages, close cages (some pens are open until animals put themselves to bed there at night), chase animals or open gates to the pasture. Please do not allow them to to take displayed peacock feathers. Peacocks molt their long tail feathers every fall and selling their feathers pays for their food. Peacock feathers are for sale for $5 each. Feathers found on the ground are free for you to take home.
PICNIC AT THE FARM
There are many picnic tables and you are welcome to bring along a picnic lunch or supper or snacks. Please clean up after yourself as soon as you are finished eating and please look under and around the table for plastic straw wrappers or other trash the animals might eat. There are plenty of trash cans and recycling bins for your use. There is a new picnic area by the barn/parking where you can dine “chicken free.” ( in order to keep this area “chicken free” please do NOT feed the rare chicken who might wander out there ). There are also picnic tables inside the gate where you will be much closer to animals and a chicken may try to jump on the table or Charlie the farm dog may hang out closeby. If you don’t want the possibility of a chicken near your food simply DO NOT choose to picnic in that area.
OF COURSE THERE IS A BATHROOM
There is a port-o-john in the parking lot.lease occompany small children. There is antibacterial sanitizer and wipes at the table where you get your feed bucket. There is hot water hand washing out the gate at the barn by where you parked. If you want to use this, please open any closed gate and then close all gates and doors you open and watch your children by the parking lot. Please turn OFF the water if you use this sink.
Please feel free to ask Farmer Mary any questions or for any assistance.
WHAT THE ANIMALS LIKE TO EAT
Here is a copy of a post Farmer Mary wrote specifically about what the animals like to eat.
When you plan a visit to Winterpast Farm you can bring along food to feed the animals. This will make the visit more fun since regular visitors know what food to bring and your children will be sad if they have nothing to feed the animals. The food also encourages the bunnies and guinea pigs to sit on laps so please plan to bring food if you want to interact this way.
Farmer Mary has $5 mixed buckets of animal feed available for purchase.
Some things they like include:
thinly sliced Apple slices
Carrots (big, small, they esp love the ones with greens still attached! New visitors may like to hold a long carrot as they learn how to feed the animals)
grapes
kale
collards /kale
Celery
Peppers (yellow and red they like more than green)
Cereal- any is fine, but Cheerios type plain is best and the most popular
Crackers -whole wheat Ritz and Saltine are best since they are soft
Bread (whole wheat is best, and sturdy slices are easier to hold out for feeding, or to throw to turtles in the pond) White bread is VERY UNHEALTHY for any animal to eat. Please do not bring white bread to the farm. No moldy bread please!
Raisins, dried fruit of any sort
green beans
Pumpkins
Almost anything but meat or cheese, and please, nothing moldy. Feel free to clean out your cupboards and pantry and bring outdated or stale food, bur not salty things like pretzels or chips. Farmer Mary can use outdated cans of food for the pigs so bring it along! Some frequent farm visitors bring food when they clear out their refrigerator before vacation.
This fall bring your pumpkin innards to feed the pigs after you carve your Halloween pumpkin!
If you have extra oranges, Farmer Mary gives the bunnies and Guinea pigs orange halves or slices regularly for the vitamin C.
If you are clearing out your garden bring the vines and too big beans and other veggies..someone will eat it!
Favorites of the animals (this can change a bit!)
GOATS: apples, carrots, grapes, celery, sometimes orange slices, green beans
Bunnies:apples, carrots, celery, kale and other greens, crackers, raisins, veggies
Guniea pigs:same as bunnies
Peacocks: bread, crackers, kale, apple slices, grapes, dry dog food
goats: apple slices, carrots, celery, kale sometimes, crackers, bread, veggies
CLAIRE the Donkey: apple slices, kale, geenbeans, celery,carrots,
Ducks and chickens:crackers, bread, corn, cereal, apple slices (if thin)
EMU: dry dog food, apple slices, kale, grapes, crackers, bread
Dislikes: onions, leeks, white potatoes, lemaons, grapefuit, limes
They will eventually eat sweet potatoes and squash of any sort, but may not take it from your hand unless sliced very thinly. These can be left in bunny and guinea pig cages for them to snack on.
Farmer Mary is happy to take unwanted dry cat and dog food. She often has a rescue pup living at the farm.
The food visitors bring are just treats for the animals. Farmer Mary regularly heads to Tractor Supply or Southern States for feed for all her animals. If you have a friend who is in any food-related business who might have excess food available, please let Farmer Mary know. She is very happy to take donations of bread, food, outdated food, hay bales that have been used for decor (same with pumpkins) etc.
Thank you for supporting a small local family farm. Thank you for telling your friends about Winterpast Farm! Be sure and suggest they read this!
(919) 244-1800 is best for texting Farmer Mary.Please text only between 8am and 10pm. Farmer Mary will not return texts made at other times.
Please make an appointment to visit. Text Farmer Mary with farm visit requests. Please state dates you want the ages, ages that will interact with the animals, remind Farmer Mary if you have visited the farm, mention specific animals you want to see or if you hope to collect and buy eggs. Please try to provide as much information possible so Farmer Mary can simply reply “yes” and avoid endless back and forth texts. 919-244-1800. Please do not FB message, Instagram message, leave voice mails, or try to email. Texting ONLY please. 919-244-1800
Please text only between 8am and 10pm. Farmer Mary will not return texts made at other times.