A relatively new farm experience in Lake Leelanau houses an array of animals that people can schedule a private tour to visit and learn more about.
Linda Oosse operates “JCs Ooasis,” which is home to dozens of mostly rescued farm animals ranging from goats, guinea pigs, and miniature pigs, to ducks, a miniature horse, and roughly 50 chickens, among many others.
Since June, Oosse has been offering group tours of the farm animals at her property. The tours allow for Oosse, who once taught elementary and middle school special education years ago, to teach again but in a different setting, adding that she hopes to continue it into the fall.
“Families have booked tours and the biggest one I’ve had was seven people. It was a riot and the kids were different ages… because we do an individual tour like that, I can really dig in, and JC has been able to help which has been really cool, so he’s come on some of the tours when he’s not been at camp,” Oosse said. “We just walked through the barn and they got to handle all of the animals one at a time. They get to go right up and personal. They can brush the pigs, feed the pigs, pet the pigs, hold the bunnies, hold the guinea pigs, brush the horses. Then we take the goats for a walk in the back of the property to see the pond and the ducks and the chickens.”
People have discovered the farm through word of mouth, but tours have been steady for the last couple of months. In addition to Oosse’s barn tours, she held a farm camp in June in partnership with the local 4-H group, where kids were able to learn about the animals and what caring for them entails.
“From scooping poop to feeding, to washing and cleaning bowls and moving hay,” Oosse said. “And we threw in some walks around the property and some games, feeding the ducks, and ran with the goats and played with them.”
Oosse will occasionally offer traveling petting farm experiences as well. Throughout the summer, she’s taken some of her animals via horse trailer to places like libraries and the Leelanau Cheese Fest to reach more people.
At the “Ooasis,” Oosse said they try to follow the “four R’s,” which stands for reduce, reuse, recycle, and repurpose. In the process of teaching people how to care for animals, she said it’s important to also reduce her footprint on the world starting at home.
“Our hay feeders for the goats and the horses are made out of old cribs and all my rags that I use for washing the goats are all from old t-shirts…” she said. “It’s trying to make use of what might still have some good use in them (for things) that people might think is trash.”
While people mainly make a stop at the barn to see the animals, they can also find homemade products for sale like goat milk soap, some jams and jellies, and of course, fresh eggs. This past year, Oosse said she started selling goat herd shares, so people have been able to purchase products from those goats, too.
By giving people the opportunity to experience interacting with farm animals, Oosse said they ultimately learn about the logistics that goes behind raising them and what they can provide and give back to us.
“Going back to my passion for animals and farming and getting back to nature, it’s been interesting having so many kids and parents come out this summer to just see the awe in their faces when they get to pet a bunny for the first time or interact with a pig, or when they get to snuggle with a goat,” she said. “And it’s just talking about all of the things that these animals can do for us… like in the case of goats, they can provide milk, and cheese, and you can make products.”
People can follow the farm, “JCs Ooasis” via social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. To schedule a farm tour, call 231-866-6516 and leave a voice message with a callback number.
