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Sep 6, 2009 10:50 pm US/Central
Finding Minnesota: 'Agri-Tainment' In Minnetrista
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) ―
To a farmer, the sound of a tractor roaring to life can signal the next chore on his list. It means work. But to a kid from the city, the sight of a tractor hauling hay bales can mean a fun ride.
That simple realization helped transform an apple orchard on the western edge of Hennepin County into a sort of rural amusement park. Call it "agri-tainment."
Minnetonka Orchards is 40 acres of woods, trails and apple trees. But in recent years, its owners have discovered what else they have to offer, such as the little cornfield that could be turned into a maze, or the old, worn-out corn crib.
Jay Schaper, one of the farm's operators, considered the corn crib an eyesore, but his father came up with the idea to turn it into a fort.
"It just filled up with kids," Jay said. "And it was just like, 'Wow, this is going to be really fun to watch these kids run up and down this old corn crib fort!'"
The kids have also taken to the big piles of hay, the two pygmy goats that climb up on rooftops, and anything that the children themselves can climb on.
It's the type of fun that Jay and his older brother Scott grew up with on the family farm, which was also where they learned about business.
"It started with a fruit stand, riding our Schwinn bike with a banana seat down there to sell people some apples," recalled Scott. "I remember one time we had three cars there at once and thought this is a really big day."
Both brothers eventually grew up and took corporate jobs in technology and engineering. But then a few years ago, when their parents retired, something changed.
"We just kind of had a conversation and said, 'Let's go back,'" said Scott. "I kind of wanted to liberate myself. 'Let's go back, save the family farm and become farmers.'"
Now in their fourth year, the brothers are seeing children play farmer on the old John Deere that their father rebuilt.
"We found that really three generations are interested in it," said Scott. "Grandpa bought one, dad drove it in the fields and the little boy is interested because it's just a machine."
As close as their land is to Minneapolis and Minnetonka, there have been developers interested in turning it into a subdivision, but the brothers turned down all offers.
"That's where the real money is -- selling the property," Scott admitted. "But we wanted to keep this green."
"We would never sell it," Jay added. "You would just have to knock over all the trees and put in a lot of pavement."
The Schapers were just named Hennepin County's farm family of the year for the fun that their farm provides.
Minnetonka Orchards has a large tent for corporate events and has even hosted 13 weddings this year. It's planning special weekends through the fall harvest and into Christmas time.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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