Summer at Grandpa Tiny's Farm means expanded hours, new animals and more
Michimich.com/10182290

FRANKENMUTH, Mich. - Michimich -- Summer is a special time at one of Frankenmuth's only remaining working farms that is open to the public. With longer hours for visitors, the expansion of the farm's animal population and the chance to "find the farmer," a unique experience awaits visitors of all ages to Grandpa Tiny's Farm.

This month the farm, located at 7775 Weiss Rd. in Frankenmuth, begins extended hours, adding Thursday and Friday hours to Saturday and Sunday, offering a weekend full of activities and adventure. Weather permitting, the farm is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Sunday.

With the farm's season well underway, it is full-on "baby time" with lambs, baby chicks, bunnies and more in the petting barn, which stays open throughout the year. This year the farm's new lamb "Heidi" is the first Merino sheep born to a newly started Merino flock.

Wendy Winkel, who runs an agri-tourism business on the farm, is looking into combining the farm's reindeer hair with the Merino wool to make Merino/Reindeer combination wool for mittens, scarves and more.

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Other popular farm animals, the donkey Rosie and the pony Lady, continue to draw young and old alike to the petting zoo. Both Rosie and Lady are rescued animals, along with many other animals on the farm.

"I love how Rosie and Lady have bonded and Rosie is now Lady's seeing-eye donkey since Lady is mostly blind," says Winkel. "It's so enjoyable for me to show visitors what really happens on a farm and the work and planning that goes into growing our food and plants."

New this year is the opportunity for guests to "Find Farmer Wendy" working out on the farm, a hands-on experience offering agricultural education to guests.

According to Winkel, this year farm guests have planted apple trees, learned about how a tractor works, watched the hay baling process, helped trim lavender and other activities.

"I hope some farm guests would like to learn about, and stack, hay bales during the next hay field cutting," Winkel says.

Winkel actively runs the farm, offers educational events, u-pick times for fresh products, popular activities such as the Frankenmuth Flower Festival and Santa's Reindeer Farm, and much more during a season that runs from late April through mid-December.

Admission is $6 and children under age 2 get in free. Parking is available at no cost on a gravel lot in front of the Big Blue Barn. For tickets visit https://www.grandpatinys.com.