This summer season has been a season of firsts – not just the weather (snow in May and record-high temperatures in July!), but more specifically, with unique Castle visitors and exciting events!
This past spring, we welcomed our most spine-tingling visitor yet! Norm, the Castle’s very own Normandy French dragon, is made of 100% recycled metal, and boasts over 6,900 scales, clawed feet, humongous wings and razor sharp teeth. He was one of 25 semi-finalists in the Grand Rapids, MI 2012 Art Price competition. Norm can be found guarding the Castle from the Dragon’s Lair, a new garden featuring prickly plants and other ferocious flora.
Along with Norm, there are two other additions
on the Castle grounds: our beautiful new 
Rose Pavilion, and Birch Lake (still a work in progress!). The Rose Pavilion is an outdoor pavilion designed as a shelter for wedding ceremonies and picnickers on rainy days. Easily found nestled between the Body and Spirit Labyrinth, Alphabet Garden and Queen’s English Rose Gardens, the Rose Pavilion is the perfect place to rest and enjoy the beauty found at Castle Farms.
Birch Lake, with an estimated completion date sometime this fall, will feature a series of pebbled walkways and roads, plus bridges and water coves, all set amidst a birch tree forest. Birch Lake will make a peaceful getaway for photos, picnics, or simply a daytime stroll.
And on to exciting new events! Earlier this spring, Castle Farms debuted its monthly Workshop Series, with local service providers and qualified experts at the Castle each month presenting and teaching their tricks-of-the-trade. From photographers and wedding planners to nationally renowned horticulturists, Castle Farms and area professionals share advice about recipes, how to take perfect photos, reports on the wedding business in Northern Michigan, how to grow the perfect garden, and tips and lessons on quilting. Future workshops include advice on writing and publishing, event entertainment, and cooking with style. All proceeds from the Workshop Series are donated to the Manna Food Project, a Northern Michigan food bank and food pantry whose mission is to ensure not one person in their distribution area is hungry.
Don’t miss out on all the new and exciting things Castle Farms has to offer! Updated information on our upcoming workshops and other events can easily be found on the Castle Farms website. You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube, and Four Square.