Tomatoes are ripe, sunflowers have grown tall and the new building to house staff offices and agricultural programming is ready to open at Primrose Farm in St. Charles.
The St. Charles Park District is ready for the opening of its newest and fully accessible facility that will bring year-round programs and improved experiences for visitors to its working farm. The Education Center, located on the west side of the farm complex, is an exciting addition to the property, with its large multipurpose room, and a kitchenette designed for cooking classes and demonstrations.
“We are excited to expand the educational opportunities for all ages here at the farm,” said Alison Jones, manager of farm programs and interpretive services.
The working farm grounds have always been open year-round, but the staff found it challenging to host programming during the winter when cold temps and snow made it less ideal for visitors who didn’t have a place to escape the weather.
“I’d love to offer farm-to-table cooking classes, maybe teach the basics of canning or crafting cocktails,” Jones added.
Visitors will appreciate the addition of new flushable washrooms for visitors to use, and the path from the parking area to the building has been paved to enable greater accessibility.
While the building had been a vision for the park district, additional grant funding helped the project to become a reality. The St. Charles Park District was awarded $750,000 matching grant from the Illinois Public Museum Capital Grant program, which was administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The project costs were estimated at $1.68 million.
Primrose Farm opened in 2008, providing a perspective of farm life and welcoming visitors of all ages. It has hosted field trips, the popular summer camps, animal care programs, a popular barn dance and fall hayrides.
Just in time for the debut of the new space, the marketing team for the St. Charles Park District crafted a refreshed branding and logo for the working farm. The new image incorporates some of the farm’s favorite residents, its cows and chickens. The circular logo is meant to symbolize the cycles of farm life and the farm’s beauty visible each season, from the first buds in the spring to the crisp autumn air before the blankets of the first snowfall.
“We felt this new logo is a better representation of the farm and its offerings,” Jones said.
All are invited to attend the grand opening of the new education center. For more details, visit primrosefarm.org.