STAR, Idaho — When most people get close to retirement they to find a quiet and comfortable place to live. A Meridian couple went in the other direction. Mark and Cindy Smith were living comfortably along Spurwing Country Club in Meridian when one day a developer approached and made them an offer on their property. But what would they do? Start a farm of course.
"We're kind of doing it backwards, most farmers sell their property and they go to the golf course, were going from the golf course to the farm."
So they had some farming experience right? Cindy says not exactly. "We've never done this, we were completely clueless."Clueless as in the name of their farm. The Clueless Farm. Cindy says has always loved animals, but she had to sell the idea to her husband Mark.
"She told me I could buy farm equipment and I like digging holes."
A lot of holes and a lot of fixing up the farmhouse and barn, and you can't forget those animals. Mark jokes about it now.
"Golf balls are a lot cheaper than those animals."
Those animals are Alpacas, goats, Highland cows, a horse, a dog and you can't forget about the chickens. They even eat off a chick-nic table. Mark is so proud that their chicken house looks just like a little house, complete with curtains.
"We built all this, made it like a little house. The roost we did it at an angle and clean it up and you're done."
So is becoming urban farmers for everyone? Here's what Cindy's daughter told her.
"She asked what kind of financial gain are you getting from this, and we both told her, none." Mark and Cindy are about to add another chapter to this book. Later this summer they're moving to Bonners Ferry to become bigger and better urban farmers up north.
"The thing with Mark and I is if we say we're going to do something we follow through with it. I think a lot of people didn't think would do it, and we did it."
They sure did.
