This learning-based trip aims to connect visitors with nature and peacefulness through garden-centered activities in a town of nine people.
The vacation is guided by Barry and Holly Mawby, now in their second full year of offering the retreat.
The family-friendly tour right off Highway 2 has plenty of space for kids to run around and explore.
Activities include weeding, watering and harvesting herbs, cooking with herbs, taking a labyrinth walk, stargazing, birding, making crafts, sitting around a campfire, scavenger hunting and learning the town's history.
The vacation is tailored to visitors' interests, ages and abilities, Holly Mawby said.
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"People, when they are looking for a vacation, they are looking for an experience," she said. "They really want to get their hands dirty and get involved."
An East Coast consultant suggested the weed-pulling aspect of the vacation, saying people in large cities don't have the opportunity to garden, Mawby said.
"Some people want to go to a destination and really get the flavor of the area and the locals and what goes on on a daily basis," she said. "We thought the learning-based vacations would be a great way to do that."
Garden Dwellers Farm has 2½ acres under production, which includes basil, rhubarb and chives. The Mawbys sell their herbs to restaurants, farmers markets and grocery stores.
Several hundred people visited the farm between March and October last year, Mawby said. Most stop on their way to other places.
The Mawbys welcome visitors to stop by to picnic or take a walk around the property for free.
"On the Web site, we say, 'Come out and play,' " Mawby said. "We encourage people to stop anytime if they want to."
Garden Dwellers Farm
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Where: Churchs Ferry, N.D.
When: Mid-July through mid-September, seven days a week
Cost: $120 per day includes three meals and a day's worth of activities
Contact information: www.garden
dwellersfarm.com or (701) 351-2520. Best to call ahead for guided tour.
