Big Shoal Farm
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The Big Shoal Farm is a joint effort between the City of Gladstone and the Friends of the Atkins-Johnson Farm and Museum (A non-profit entity established to support the farm and museum). The farm is 7 acres in size and is located adjacent to the Big Shoal Cemetery on Old Pleasant Valley Road (64th St.). The farm uses modern farming techniques and crops. These practices provide insight into how crops are raised using fewer inputs and help control erosion. The farm shares the story of how new crop products protect themselves from insects and diseases via genetic enhancements.
Created in 2020, The Big Shoal Farm has three goals;
Share the story of modern agriculture
Practically show the importance of genetic enhancement and technology
Generate interest in children and adults in agriculture.
The farm raises sweet corn, sunflowers and pumpkins. The crops are produced, harvested and sold with the help of volunteers and hired labor from local 4H clubs and other school groups. The farm has honeybee hives that support the crop production. Honey is also sold at the museum site. The farm employs 20 or more students during the growing season.
Sweet corn is harvested and sold from early July into early August. Sweet corn can be purchased Monday through Saturday at the sales stand at the museum and other locations in the city. Sunflowers are available in August and early September. Sunflowers are available on Saturdays at the farm location on 64th Street. Customers can walk the field and cut their own sunflowers. Pumpkins are available in mid-September through late October and can be purchased on Saturdays at the farm. Customers can walk the field and select their own pumpkins. There is no charge for admission to the fields for either sunflowers or pumpkins.
Special orders for sunflowers and pumpkins are available by contacting the Atkins-Johnson Farm and Museum. Individual photo sessions are available as well with reservations.
The farm also provides programing for school children and adults. To date the Big Shoal Farm has had over 800 students visit the farm for educational programming. Programs are available on each crop, technology in agriculture and the importance of honeybees. Programs can be scheduled by contacting The Atkins-Johnson Farm and Museum Director Marye Newman at 816-423-4107 or Farm Manager Eugene Suter at 816-550-6714.
Currently the farm has no indoor classroom space. All programs are conducted outside. That impacts the timing of when programs can be offered and we can also be impacted by the weather. We are currently in discussions with other educational entities to bring additional programming to the farm.
The city of Gladstone and The Friends of the Atkins-Johnson Farm and Museum are working toward the goal of building a barn that can be used for classroom and meeting space. The goal for that project is $650,000. We have raised half that amount and are looking for additional sponsors to help us fund the remainder. We always are open for discussions about sponsorships toward that goal and how we can expand our educational offering. Please contact Eugene Suter at 816-550-6714 with questions or want to explore how you can help with this project.