State Hospital Farm..................

The State hospital was built in 1881 It was an Asylum and was self sufficient. The Farm was built and grew all the food. It had a dairy and horse barns, Farriers and everything they needed to be efficient. They even built tunnels under the ground between the hospital and the farm. This allowed for the transport of food quickly and easily especially in the Northern Michigan winters.

The hospital was closed in 1989.
For a long time it's existence was up in the air but it was finally bought and has been saved. It now houses apartments, cafe's and art/craft shops. Restaurants and many other things. It is gradually being redone and saved and I am happy because it is such a wonderful beautiful property.

Anyway......the farm, they had no idea what to do with the farm. Fortunately that too has been saved. I have taken Tristen there several times to see what is happening but did not go last year. I heard the Botanical garden was now open so Gerry and I went for a look today. It was supposed to be a rainy day so we didn't want to go far. Indeed the garden has started. Gerry had not been over there since they started renovating the barns etc. The dairy barn was our first stop because this lovely lady was just finishing a tour. We asked to join them.

The walls are all original stone from Wisconsin. When they came over to pick up produce they had ballast in the ships bottom that was then dumped and used to build the barns. Keeping this short in the way of History, the dairy herd became famous. They had at least two champion cows. One is buried there and is a local phenomenon.

Her grave will stay there..........we had already looked at the Botanical garden that is a work in progress and quite pretty.

The lady did not give us a name we just got chatting so quickly that I forgot to ask. I was so happy to know that the walled garden was under way. It was just a dream last time I was there. It's beautiful.'Look at the wonderful gate built especially for this garden. It was once the horse barn. See the horse bits in the design?. The layout was designed by placing garden around each stall( that would have been there) and there is a hedge growing between each "stall" A Robin is nesting in one of the shrubs




Very clever, a horse trough reproduction.


It is a lovely thoughtful design, they have lots more ideas so I must go back.
She took us in a golf cart to the top of the hill to show us another garden project that grows fire proof (sort of) plants. Things that are used as a barrier (forest fires) between the woods and the barns. Great thinking. There are many acres of trails and woodland belonging to this Property. All protected for us to enjoy.
When we finished we went into the gift shop where they had an art exhibit upstairs. The Tunnel was open and as Gerry had not been in there she showed us the tunnel and the big barn where the potatoes (for example) were kept. The wagons could then fill up and be transported through more tunnels into the hospital over the way.



The gate was made by the same Blacksmith who did the other gate and being a local lad had grown up enjoying the woods and fields and so had donated a part of the fee for the gate as it was not at that time in the budget. She even offered to take our picture.


When we were done I took some pictures around the welcome center and learned about the way they had built the new center and how the wood was used to insulate etc, all extremely interesting. The round area at the top of the steps was an old silo discovered when putting in the fountain and steps. So they kept that and made an area for conversation.


The whole of the area as you drive in is a community garden. Like the old allotments used to be. It is so popular there is a list, so it will be expanding. So nice to see people enjoying the land. I think this whole project is wonderful, so exciting and so much coming. A medicinal garden for one and Native American healing garden. There is a Maize (Tristen loved that) right now it is just grass but they intend to make it into a proper one in time. Everything is wheel chair accessible and there are areas for picnics. They intend to use the gardens for weddings etc and parties. The art displays rotate so different artists will be there.
There is so much to see and if you are like me, a garden lover it is bliss.

There are a lot more artists things for sale than the last time I was there, that spells trouble for me but Gerry was with me so I was good. I did have my eye on a few garden things though







There were many things I would have taken more time seeing but it had began to rain so it was time to go home but I will go back and watch the progress. It was lovely talking to our host who was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic. She obviously loved telling about it all.............