MAPLEWOOD PETTING ZOO
by Janis Stein

Tired of all the tension and stress brought on by your frantic schedule but can't afford to take a vacation? Wish you could create some lifelong memories with your children or grandchildren without gouging your pocketbook? The Maplewood Farm Petting Zoo may just be the answer to both.

Located 1 ½ miles north of Kinde on M-53, Maplewood Farm Petting Zoo offers a unique experience for the young and the young at heart. Though owners, Bill Sampson, his wife, Kitty, and his sister, Dorothy, have been operating the petting zoo at their permanent location in Kinde for over half a dozen years, previously they took their show on the road hosting private parties and special events.

One by one the animals multiplied, and creating a more permanent establishment quickly became a necessity. Visitors touring the farm will see rabbits, miniature horses, miniature donkeys, a llama, three pot-bellied pigs and new to the farm this year is Baby Susie, a 600-pound sow measuring 8 feet long from the end of her nose to the base of her tail. Guests are allowed to pet and feed these animals, and in doing so, they will be rewarded with a gratifying experience only animals can create.

The Sampson's are planning to expand their bird population this year as well. Currently, the farm is home to a pair of peacocks and a turkey, along with a number of ducks and pigeons. They also raise baby chicks during the summer months, and visitors will enjoy all the other babies as well. Several goats and sheep are expecting to give birth shortly as is one of the pot-bellied pigs. The farm also anticipates the arrival of several new colts over the next month or two, and according to Bill Sampson, they try to plan ahead so there are new babies continually arriving at different times throughout the summer for all to enjoy.

Admission to the petting zoo is just $2, and young children will be enthralled with getting a pony ride for an additional $1. According to Sampson, cart rides with miniature ponies are also available, or surprise your sweetheart with a horse-drawn wagon ride pulled by a team of Belgians. Wagon rides are about a 20-minute excursion through a wooded area of the farm and cost just $2 per person.

While visiting Maplewood Farm Petting Zoo, be sure to check out the General Store, which features crafts made by several different individuals as well as hand-made wooden toys and wooden barns created by an Amish man from Indiana. Items in the store aren't typical of a souvenir shop, although there are a few small items such as animals available for the children. Also in stock are hand-crafted lawn furniture, and price ranges differ depending on what an individual seeks.

Maplewood Farm Petting Zoo & General Store is open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, Wednesday through Sunday, 1 PM to 8 PM, weather permitting. Horse-drawn wagon rides are available after 6 PM, Wednesday through Saturday, and all day Sunday.

The Sampson's allow the morning hours, as well as Monday and Tuesday, to host off-site birthday parties or special events. During those times special groups can also visit the farm by appointment; whether it might be a birthday party, school group or a Boy Scout, Girl Scout or Cub Scout group touring the farm, the Sampson's make every visit a wonderful experience.

Animals and children often form a special connection, and for the Sampson's, that's what it's all about - watching the inevitable smile emerge on even the shyest of children and seeing their awestruck faces as they pet a pony for the first time. It is also a gratifying day for the Sampson's when they see adults complete their visit appearing a bit more laid back and relaxed than when they arrived.

Tucked away in Michigan's Thumb, Maplewood Farm Petting Zoo has something for everyone. Be sure to visit the farm this summer, and see how a trip so simple and inexpensive can be so very enjoyable.

For more information, contact Dorothy, Bill and Kitty Sampson at 989-874-6177.