Bates Farm

The Homeschool Camping Weekend starts TOMORROW! ⛺🔥

We’re putting the finishing touches on the farm and getting ready to welcome everyone out tomorrow, September 25th–27th!

We've got an awesome lineup of hands-on activities planned all weekend long and we can't wait to share it with you!

If you missed this year, no worries! You can book your very own camping weekend on Hipcamp, where our makerspace activities are free to campers in our common area.

🏕️ Book your stay or check out our site details:
https://www.hipcamp.com/en-US/land/alabama-bates-farm-zwjh1kee

The Range at Bates Farm will be open this weekend with a caveat. You will get to shoot 28 targets for the price of 20!!!.
We will have a home school group camping in what we call the bowl. This is the area that contains targets 15 through 20. So when you get through target 14 you simply turn around and head back...or you can walk back to target 1 and begin again. Just a little thank you from us for all the love and support you have shown us in the past couple of years.
It looks like this will be our first taste of fall weather so temps should be a bit nicer than they have been in the past few months. So grab your bows and come join us this weekend for some fun on the range...🏹🏹🏹🏹

Good news - our Glow Shoot is back on! 🎯 We’ve rescheduled for Friday, October 9 at 8:00 PM. All the original details apply ($20, same great setup). Grab your gear and let's shoot - hope to see you there!

Tomorrow is Hobbit Day at Bates Farm! 🧝🧙‍♂️✨

Grab your cloaks and prep your walking sticks—Bilbo Baggins’ Birthday Bash is officially tomorrow, September 22nd, from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM at our Lothlorian site!

Here is what we have in store for the afternoon:
🧺 Pack a picnic lunch to enjoy at our picnic tables
🌲 Take our "Unexpected Journey" tree hike & Hobbit scavenger hunt
📸 Snap photos at our Middle-earth backdrop
🏆 Show off your gear during our Costume Contest at 3:00 PM
🔐 Book an outdoor Escape Adventure game

Admission is $5 per person (kids 3 and under are free!).

Tag someone who loves Lord of the Rings and come celebrate with us tomorrow! 👇

What a day at Bates Farm! 🌾✨

Huge thanks to everyone who came out for our Compound Butter and Elderberry Syrup workshops! We loved seeing everyone learn new crafts and take home their handmade goods!

📸 Did you take photos or have a favorite part of the day you'd like to share? Drop a comment below and let us know! 👇

⚠ Saturday Glow Shoot Update

Due to the current head wave, Bates Farm has decided to reschedule our Glow Shoot that was originally planned for Saturday, September 19.

We’ll announce the new date for later this month soon, so please keep an eye on our page for updates!

If you're still looking to shoot this weekend, we encourage you to check out Smiths Archery. They are hosting a dot shoot this Saturday evening in a climate-controlled environment.

We apologize for the inconvenience and we look forward to shooting with you soon!

Camp under the stars with us next weekend! ⛺🔥

There's still time to reserve your spot for our Homeschool Camping Weekend happening September 25th–27th!

Bring the family out to Bates Farm for a full weekend of outdoor community, campfire relaxation, and optional hands-on STEM & farm activities:

🔬 Friday: Earth Battery Making, Marshmallow Roasting & Star Gazing

🧺 Saturday: Basket Making, Litmus Paper Making, Archery Demos Water Purifier Making, & Guided Glow Hike

🌱 Sunday: Hydroponics & Makerspace Crafts

Choose from tent sites, RV/power hookups, or roof-top tent setups. All sites are less than 300ft from full bathroom facilities.

🏕️ Reserve your campsite or add-on activities online:
🔗 bates-farm.com/homeschool-camping-2026

This Saturday at Bates Farm! 🎯🌿

We’re just a few days away from a full day of fall fun on September 19th! Whether you're making handcrafted goods or hitting the night course, spots are filling up fast:

🧈 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Compound Butter Workshop

🫐 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM: Elderberry Syrup Workshop (Take home your own jar!)

🏹 8:00 PM: Glow Shoot 3D Archery (10 targets, 50% payout, youth division & food on site!)

Spend the afternoon crafting, come for the glow shoot, or make a whole day of it!

Check out the photos and flyers below for details!

Sign Up for the Workshops Here:
🔗 bates-farm.com/workshops