Farm Experiences, Walks, talks & Workshops
What You Can Experience at the Farm
Horton Bay Heritage Farm offers seasonal farm experiences in Northern Michigan that invite visitors to slow down and engage with the land. Our on-farm experiences include guided walks, educational talks, demonstration gardens, and small-group workshops designed to share practical knowledge about farming, plants, and ecological land stewardship in the Petoskey, Charlevoix, and Boyne City area.
Demonstration Gardens
Our Demonstration Gardens are living examples of regenerative, small-scale gardening in Northern Michigan. These gardens are designed to show how food, flowers, and habitat can coexist in productive, beautiful landscapes using minimal-till practices and natural soil building.
Current demonstration areas include:
- Market row style garden
- Permaculture style back yard garden
- Annual and perennial cut-flower gardens
- Kitchen herb garden for everyday culinary use
- Tree guilds showcasing companion planting around fruit trees
- Hedgerows planted for pollinators, wildlife habitat, wind breaks and seasonal interest
- Perennial Berry Patch
Gardens in development include:
- Pollinator and bee garden
- 1/4 acre Food forest
- Tea & medicinal herb garden
- 10 acre woodlot nature preserve
These gardens continue to evolve as we experiment, observe, and dream up new ways to grow food and support biodiversit on a working farm.
When the farm store is open, visitors are welcome to explore designated demonstration garden areas at their own pace using a simple self-guided map available on-site. These spaces are intended for casual walking and observation as part of a farm visit. More in-depth learning and guided access are offered through scheduled walks, talks, and workshops.
Walks, Talks & Workshops
Our walks, talks, and workshops offer guided, small-group experiences for visitors who want a deeper understanding of the farm and its systems. These scheduled experiences may include pasture walks, garden-focused tours, and educational sessions on regenerative farming practices, plants, livestock, and land stewardship.
Guided experiences are offered on select dates throughout the season and may require advance registration and a participation fee. Group size is intentionally limited to keep experiences personal, informative, and respectful of the working farm environment.
Visiting the Farm
Horton Bay Heritage Farm is a working Northern Michigan farmstead with seasonal public access. When the farm store is open, visitors are welcome to shop for farm-grown goods and enjoy casual, self-guided exploration of designated demonstration garden areas using an on-site map. These areas are intended for relaxed walking and observation as part of a farm visit.
Guided farm walks, educational talks, and workshops are offered separately on select dates and require advance planning. Availability varies by season and farm activity.
Farm store hours, upcoming experiences, and seasonal updates are shared through our website and email list.