Starting Something New: RC Field Days

We don’t have to tell you that 2020 was a strange year. We launched our Farmstead’s online presence and then watched as our local community, state, and nation dealt with the upheaval that came with Covid-19. While we were not immune to the shifts in routines and schedules, we found that something positive came out of the uncertainty… more time as a family.

Whether it was nature walks looking for birds, building forts in the woods, jumping on the trampoline… or calling “break time” to sip lemonade on the porch or simply lay back and watch the clouds float by, we spent a lot of time outside. There were still the animals to care for, the garden to tend to, and the day-to-day chores of the farmstead, but without the commute for my off-farm job and the school bus rides for our kiddos, there was a new block of found time.

Admittedly, we are incredibly fortunate on the Farmstead to have the space to explore nature while at home. When family or friends stop by, most of our time with them is spent outside. We walk in the woods, snack on fresh berries or crisp sugar snap peas fresh from the garden, pull up a chair on the front porch, or warm up by the fire pit.

Valuing that time outdoors, when our son was gifted his first RC truck, we looked for places to go as a family. We wanted to find a place with a variety of natural obstacles. While he’d run small RC trucks around the house, this one was not a toy marked 4+. It had rubber tires and articulated. We wanted to find a place where he could learn how to drive a more complex RC vehicle and progress through challenges as his confidence grew.

Was that so much to ask?

We tried heading to the lake and a local state park, but felt out of place. Hikers on the trail were less than excited to see the truck zipping along ahead of us. At the lake, there was plenty of open ground and large boulders, but few areas where there were natural steps, or progressions, in the terrain where he could see a clear line and follow a “trail.” We tried to pick areas away from where folks were fishing, which often left few options. Our local community parks weren’t much better. Most were set up intentionally to have little variation in terrain. We found large grassy expanses sparsely dotted with the occasional large rock, while needing to watch out for the hazards of bicycles, joggers, and groups of kids playing tag.

Not finding what we were looking for locally, we decided to create it.

RC Field Days at the Farmstead opens our private trails to you. The idea was born out of our desire to have a fun, family-friendly outdoor activity that was both approachable enough for newbies (our kids) and provided opportunities to challenge the more experienced drivers (my better half). Plus, it’s a heck of a lot safer, cheaper, and requires less storage space than getting everyone full-size ATVs!

We hope that you’ll join us to explore the trails. Whether you’re searching for things to do, are looking to try something new this weekend, or simply hope (like we did) to find a place to run your RC where you can feel like part of a community, check our schedule and plan your trip to the Farmstead.