BROOKINGS — Looking to get away from the city and spend some quiet time in the country as summer officially rolls in? You’re invited to do that and you can get there in a matter of minutes: Good Roots Farm and Gardens, 3712 Medary Ave., 1.5 miles north of the U.S. Highway 14 Bypass, is beckoning you.
Bill and Julie Ross, owners and operators of Good Roots, have a full slate of activities ready to roll out this weekend. Why? “Our historic 100-year-old barn deserves a proper birthday bash — and it’s the first day of summer!”
The festivities get going Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m. with adult crafts and activities that include: learning to mosaic; personalized painting; and construction of a Leopold bench.
Fun for the kiddos includes: nature activities; an opportunity for the kids to meet the kids, a trio of goats named Double, Trouble, and Sundance.
At 6 p.m. there’s a pulled-pork supper, $5 for adults. Kids eat free.
Come 7 p.m. there’s story telling for all ages.
From 7:45 to 11 p.m. it’s time to get moving, with DJ Dancing Under the Stars. Also going on will be a firepit with s’mores.
Meanwhile, at 9 p.m. there’ll be “Farm Walk & Talk,” with the opportunity to relax with wine or lemonade at sunset.
Sunday is special, being Father’s Day and the first day of summer: the summer solstice with the longest day and the shortest night of the year.
And from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., it’s Pizza Night (pay and order online). Other goings on are storytelling and cupcakes. Add to that, “Special gifts for dads!’
The Good Roots message for the weekend: “Rain or shine — we’re celebrating all weekend!”
A bit of history
Good Roots used to be Sundahl Farm. It was opened in 1946 by the grandparents of Julie (Sundahl) Ross. In 1964 her parents took over the operation. Today, having been renamed Good Roots Farm and Gardens, the Rosses continue the operation on 40 acres of land they inherited.
“My folks had three farms, divided by six kids,” Julie explained, as to how they got the 40 acres of land that became Good Roots.
Most of the farm’s original buildings are intact, with a few bits of modernization undertaken as needed. The 100-year-old barn did have its roof completely blown off and replaced years ago.
The Rosses — Bill is 70, Julie 72 — have been married 49 years. They noted that they have a lot of help from family members and volunteers in operating and maintaining Good Roots.
Julie is a Brookings area native (Brookings High School, class of 1972), born and raised on this farm. Julie graduated from South Dakota State University in 1976 with a degree in journalism. She married Bill after college. He was raised on a cattle ranch, northside of the Black Hills, in Wyoming.
“I’m a cowboy, he said, with a smile.” He also attended SDSU — twice. He left and later returned as a nontraditional student in his 50s to earn his degree. His studies focused on “sustainability in community development,” which they worked on their religious missionary field days spent abroad.
Their goal and philosophy for Good Roots is to: build community; take care of the land, using sustainable practices as much as possible; and help families and individuals grow, by such activities as spending time together and playing together.
Bill, with a smile, refers to Good Roots as “agri tourism”: city slickers can come out, walk around the green acres and see the chickens, sheep and the trio of non-gruff goats.
“A lot of people come out and just have quiet time together. Whatever they want to do. Let them kind of feed their hearts.”
Good Roots is especially sought out as a spot for weddings. There are six locations that especially lend themselves as scenic venues.
“We do weddings every weekend from May until the second weekend of October,” Julie explained. “Then we’re done. Every other summer we spend in Zambia, Africa. One of our four boys lives there with his family. He works for the UN (United Nations).”
The Rosses have gone on gun-free safaris, shooting the African wildlife with cameras. The days of Teddy Roosevelt shooting safaris are pretty much gone.
“I served in (a religious) ministry for 20 years,” he said. “I traveled around the world.” For many years, the couple lived in places that included, Spearfish, Colorado, and the Rocky Mountains.
Their vocation during those years was training workers for overseas religious ministry missions in places that included Central Asia, Africa, and keeping them working in the missionary field. Then they came back to Brookings to care for Julie’s ailing parents and ended up staying and inheriting 40 acres.
For information about all the good stuff going on at Good Roots, contact the Rosses via phone at 605-691-9291 or log onto goodrootsfarmandgardens.com.
— Contact John Kubal at [email protected].
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