In 2020, husband-and-wife duo Justin and Julie Hawes took a chance on an abandoned property in Zionsville, and turned it into their dream farm, “Hawesome Farm,” which is a play on their last name, Hawes. Julie had a dream to found a farm that could bridge the gap between the community and the world of farming by creating a deeper understanding and appreciation within children for where their food comes from.
Hawesome Farm offers a variety of activities for families of all sizes and ages, including summer and fall camps, a hatchery program, and various farm products and produce, including pasture raised eggs. Its camps are for kids in kindergarten through 7th grade, and offer a 6-1 child ratio. And through its hatchery program, families can learn to grow and hatch chickens at home.
“We give you everything you need,” Julie says. ”Just add water and you get fertilized eggs in an incubator, and a temporary home for them once they hatch.”
Other offerings include venue rental, you-pick apples, mulberries and pears, and a 1,000-foot greenhouse for organic produce. Looking into the future, Julie will launch Hawesome Farm Academy, a stand-alone building that’ll host kids camps, homeschool co-ops, sourdough and wine pairing classes, and other farm-to-table concepts.
“We find that once people visit, they typically want to come back,” Julie says. “We really, really do our best to meet the community where they are and remove any unnecessary barriers.”
4410 W. 141st St., Zionsville | hawesomefarm.com
