St. Charles Park District’s Primrose Farm offers visits with animals, chance to experience farm life

Experience farm life, help with a growing garden and celebrate one of the community’s favorite four-hoofed legends this spring at Primrose Farm in St. Charles.

Just a short drive from the bustle of Randall Road, Primrose Farm offers visitors a chance to experience a taste of farm life whether visiting the resident livestock and roaming chickens or joining the St. Charles Park District staff in daily chores and activities to maintain the working farm. This spring, Primrose Farm welcomed animal babies including five calves and three lambs.

With free admission daily to the working farm, visitors often drop in and get to know the resident animals and their personalities. For years, one of the first animals that visitors saw was Doc, the beloved Belgian draft horse who enjoyed grazing in the field. Doc was born into an Amish community and after several years joined living history farms, first in Glenview and then in Schaumburg before settling into his final home at Primrose Farm. Doc died last summer at the ripe age of 31, well beyond the average 15- to 20-year life span of draft horses.

To honor Doc and celebrate his long life, the St. Charles Park District will host Doc’s Day from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 20, at Primrose Farm. The free event will feature crafts, games and even some treats. Registration is requested to help staff prepare supplies for activities. Registration is available at stcparks.org/events.

For those seeking a taste of farm life, the park district’s Family Wake Up and Work will have two Saturday sessions on April 13 and May 4. Register the entire family (ages 5 and older) and rise and shine, enjoy a hearty farm breakfast and help staff with morning chores including feeding animals, collecting eggs and milking cows. Each family member must register. See the seasonal program page at primrosefarm.org to sign up.

Patricia Kennedy, an avid gardener, has been working hard to improve the kitchen garden at Primrose Farm and she’s looking for a few more volunteers to help her bring it back into bloom.

“I want it to be like a sensory garden where visitors can walk in and engage their senses through touch, smell and sight,” Kennedy said.

This spring, she’s planted rhubarb and asparagus and is planning to add tomatoes, peppers and a few more plants when Mother Nature finally signals the end of potential overnight frosts. She’s seeking a few native plants, as well as a mix of perennial and annual plants. She’s planning to plant pumpkin seeds, too.

For those who share a love of gardening or are looking for volunteer opportunities, contact Kennedy at pkennedy@stcparks.org to help with the garden this season.

Primrose Farm is located at 5N762 Crane Road.