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Evidence from Our Farm’s Trial Period (2022-2024) and Future Commitments
We have actively sought and incorporated feedback from local residents and stakeholders into our proposal. This engagement demonstrates our commitment to addressing community concerns and enhancing our farm’s contribution to Barrington Hills.
We understand the importance of preserving the rural essence of Barrington Hills. Our proposal is carefully crafted to align with the Village’s values. By supporting this initiative, Barrington Hills can lead by example, showcasing how agritourism can thrive in harmony with our cherished local identity.
Preserving Rural Character:
Complementing, Not Altering: Our U-pick flower farm is designed to enhance Barrington Hills' unique character. Operating by appointment only ensures minimal disruption while providing a serene and enriching experience for visitors. This seasonal activity supports local agriculture and community engagement without introducing commercial retail operations.
Our Track Record: Over the past four seasons (Summer 2022–Spring 2024), Little Ducky Flower Farm has operated successfully with no complaints regarding traffic, noise, or aesthetics. This trial period has demonstrated our commitment to maintaining the tranquil and picturesque environment of Barrington Hills while offering a unique agritourism experience.
Assured Local Integrity:
Values Alignment: Our operations have consistently upheld community values, proving that agritourism can thrive without disrupting the Village’s zoning intentions. We emphasize our established track record to reinforce our dedication to preserving local charm.
Long-Term Commitment:
Maintaining Rural Character: Allowing agritourism as a special use ensures we can continue providing a valued service without inviting unwanted commercial development. Our proposal is designed to maintain the Village’s cherished rural character while supporting sustainable, community-focused farming.
Future-Oriented Vision: Our farm embodies a commitment to anticipate the evolving environmental consciousness and preferences for locally grown crops within our community. By focusing on sustainable agritourism and educational initiatives that address future challenges, we ensure that our practices contribute positively to the community's environmental goals and preserve its semi-rural character. This approach aligns with Barrington Hills' objective to foster a resilient community that is well-prepared for the future, focusing on sustainable development and enhancing quality of life without emphasizing expansion.
Key Operational Features and Community Impact
Access by Appointment Only
Our U-pick flower farm operates by appointment only, ensuring a limited number of visitors at any given time.
The seasonal nature of our operations minimizes disruption and maintains the rural character of the area.
Non-Commercial Nature
Our farm is not a commercial retail business but an agritourism activity that enhances community engagement with local agriculture.
Alignment with Village’s Goal: Our farm is designed as an agritourism activity that supports the Village’s goals for promoting agricultural uses and preserving open space. We focus on providing educational and recreational experiences, aligning with the community’s vision for non-commercial activities.
Primary Purpose: The primary function of our farm is educational and recreational, not retail-focused. Our goal is to offer unique, hands-on experiences to learn about agriculture and enjoy the beauty of nature, enriching the community's connection to local farming practices.
Revenue Structure:
While we do charge for certain activities and visits to ensure financial sustainability, this revenue is used primarily to cover operational costs. The revenue generated supports the upkeep of the farm, allows the purchase of rare and unique crops, ensures the quality of educational programs, and allows us to maintain high standards for our operations. This balance enables us to offer a valuable community service while ensuring the farm’s long-term viability.
By integrating a revenue model into our operations, we can continue to offer enriching experiences to the community without compromising on quality.
Operational Model: Our farm does not engage in traditional commercial retail practices. By focusing on providing services and experiences rather than engaging in traditional retail sales, we align our operations with the principles of agritourism. This approach allows us to adhere to our mission of community engagement and educational enrichment.
Market Scope: Our activities are designed to complement rather than compete with commercial businesses. By focusing on agritourism, we enhance community engagement without positioning ourselves as a commercial enterprise.
Niche Offering: Our U-pick flower farm offers a unique experience that does not compete with other flower farmers in the Chicago and Chicagoland area. We provide a distinct, immersive experience of cutting your own flowers in a field of blooms, which is different from traditional flower retail or wholesale.
Distinct from Local Flower Shops: Unlike local flower shops, our farm does not compete in the same commercial market. Instead, we offer an experiential activity where visitors can engage directly with the flowers in their natural setting, which adds value beyond the standard retail transaction.
Complementing Community Services: Our activities are designed to complement and enhance local community services rather than operate as a standalone commercial entity. We aim to support and enrich community engagement through educational programs and unique experiences, rather than competing with existing commercial floral businesses.
Community Focus: Our operations are centered around benefiting the local community. Any revenue generated supports the farm's mission to offer enriching experiences to local schools and community groups.
This balance allows us to offer beautiful blooms and meaningful experiences without compromising on our commitment to the community of Barrington Hills.
Community Alignment and Support for Local Agriculture.
Community Hub
Our farm promotes the beauty and benefits of local flowers, fostering connections through shared activities and spaces to enhance community belonging, which support the Village’s vision of maintaining high-quality, accessible recreational spaces.
Our collaborations with local organizations and educational institutions aligns with the Village’s objective to work with community organizations and service clubs, further integrating our farm into the fabric of the community.
Local Sourcing
Our farm prioritizes local suppliers and partnerships, sourcing materials and inputs from within a 100-mile radius. All shrubs and trees are obtained from nearby farms, supporting the local economy and regional agricultural sustainability.
We enhance our farm's offerings by collaborating with local growers to obtain plants we cannot cultivate ourselves. This approach aligns with environmental stewardship and promotes sustainable land use practices, demonstrating a community-focused ethos.
Preservation of Open Space and Scenic Corridors
Natural Recreational Space: Our flower farm provides a valuable recreational area, contributing significantly to the preservation of open space and scenic corridors in Barrington Hills. Operating on a well-maintained, spacious property, we harmonize with the Village’s countryside environment, enhancing the visual appeal of the area with vibrant, picturesque flower fields. This setting not only beautifies the landscape but also supports local wildlife and promotes biodiversity.
Diverse Flower Varieties: We grow more than 120 varieties of cut flowers, all cultivated from seed or tuber. This diversity ensures a rich, vibrant display and enhances the overall aesthetic appeal of our farm.
Promoting Scenic Character: By maintaining our farm in a manner that aligns with the Village’s aesthetic and environmental goals, we help preserve the character of the community and offer residents a unique opportunity to connect with nature.
Regulatory Alignment and Improvement
We are committed to negotiating reasonable parameters that align with the Village’s guidelines and work within local regulations to ensure full compliance.
Our goal is to adapt and refine our practices to meet regulatory expectations while supporting the community's needs and values.
We welcome Village Board members and members of the zoning and planning committees to visit our farm at their convenience. This will allow us to showcase how our operations align with community needs.
Educational Benefits
Our farm offers valuable educational opportunities for locals, aligning with the Village’s commitment to educational enrichment and community engagement. By providing hands-on learning experiences and supporting local educational programs, our farm complements Barrington Hills’ vision of fostering a well-connected, community-oriented environment.
Our farm extends its educational mission beyond agritourism by offering resources on sustainable yard practices to teach residents how to enhance their properties in ways that support native species and maintain natural wildlife habitats within residential areas. This educational outreach aligns with our commitment to environmental stewardship and supports Barrington Hills' vision of preserving local natural ecosystems and wildlife.
Environmental Benefits
We are committed to sustainable farming practices that contribute to the local environment and biodiversity. Our focus on environmental stewardship and sustainable practices aligns with the Village’s goals of protecting natural resources and promoting conservation.
Sustainable Farming Practices: Our farm implements eco-friendly practices such as composting, regenerative farming methods, reduced plastic usage, and prioritization of soil health to enhance our micro-ecosystem and plant resilience. We use natural, biodegradable methods for weed and pest control, avoiding toxic pesticides and herbicides in line with Barrington Hills’ guidelines on sustainable land management.
Sustainable Floriculture: We engage in sustainable floriculture, supporting the vision of preserving agricultural practices and aligning with the Village’s goal of appropriately scaled agricultural uses.
Environmental Protection: Our farm is a certified Monarch Waystation (Monarch Watch), Wildlife Habitat (National Wildlife Federation), and Bird and Butterfly Sanctuary (Illinois Audubon Society), underscoring our commitment to environmental stewardship and continuous improvement. Additionally, we are certified by the Conservation@Home for demonstrating environmentally sound landscape practices.
Protecting Pollinators: Given Barrington Hills' designation as a Bee City, we recognize the importance of supporting diverse pollinator species beyond honeybees. Our farm cultivates both native and ornamental flowers, fostering a diverse habitat that attracts butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects.
Supporting Local Wildlife: There is an established prairie area to support local wildlife.
Invasive Species Management: Active efforts are made to clear invasive species such as bittersweet, teasel, buckthorn, honeysuckle, privet, and autumn olive. For every area cleared, we add native, nectar-rich plants that support songbirds and pollinators. We have added 86 trees to the farm so far (native, ornamental cultivars of native trees, and fruit trees) and are looking to add 60+ more native trees, mainly oaks, which are keystone plants essential for local biodiversity. Utmost care is taken to avoid adding invasive species. Each cultivar planted is thoroughly researched.
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