WESTSIDE FARMS IN HEALDSBURG

WHEN I WAS A YOUNG MOM I WORKED PART TIME AT WESTSIDE FARMS IN THE FALL, IT IS NEARBY THE BISHOP'S RANCH. THE FARM HIRED ME AS A WREATH ARTIST AND DRIVER FOR THEIR TRACTOR RIDES. I LOVED THE OLD BARN WHERE WE MADE MANY UNUSUAL WREATHS FROM DRIED FLOWERS AND GOURDS. I STILL HAVE ONE AT MY HOUSE. THE SMELL OF THIS BARN REMINDED ME OF BEING AT WILLIAMSBURG. WE ALSO ARRANGED DRIED FLOWERS FOR PUMPKINS AND THEY HAD SOME VARIOUS PLACES FOR THE KIDS TO PLAY DURING HALLOWEEN. THEY MADE A HAY HOUSE AND A HAY MAZE . THE FARM USED TO DRAW A LARGE CROWD AND THEY HAD KIDS PAINT ON PUMPKINS. THEY HAD SO MANY DIFFERENT SIZES OF PUMPKINS, GOURDS, AND FLOWERS THAT IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT TO SEE AND TO SMELL. I DROVE THEIR TRACTOR TO GIVE ABOUT 15 PEOPLE AT A TIME A SMALL RIDE AROUND THE FARM TO LOOK AT AND CHOOSE THEIR PUMPKINS. IT WAS QUITE A CHALLENGE WITH SOME OF THE FAMILIES WITH SMALL KIDS. THE FARM HAD CHICKENS, A LLAMA, SOME DONKEYS, AND A VERY LARGE PIG. WHAT A LOT OF WORK TO RUN THIS TYPE OF FARM! THEY HAVE SINCE CLOSED UNFORTUNATELY. THE BARN PROBABLY DATES TO THE MID 1800'S.