The owners of the business know that many people who live in apartments, within city limits or assisted living centers may have missed out on experiencing a piece of the farm and they are on a mission to change that.

Already they have placed a dozen chick and duckling kits with families and schools within the last week.  Children and families of all ages can learn how to raise animals you would likely see on a poultry farm. After the 3 or 5 week rental period, families can either keep the the animals or if they don’t have a space for them, they can send the chicks and ducklings back with the company. The animals can then spend time running around in open fields and with families who wish to adopt them.

Between the two owners of Hippity Chickity, they have collectively traveled the world to check out different types of farms, including: dairy farms in New Zealand, orchards in Costa Rica, vineyards in Tasmania, honey farms in Washington and many agricultural, fishery and livestock farms right here in Idaho.

“When people think of a farm, they kind of have this stereotypical view of a farm where there are cows and horses and pigs. But really when you look up all of the different types of farms that are out there, you would be surprised to learn about honey, flowers, orchards, livestock, hatcheries, fisheries and so on. When you view farms like that, you realize that farming is not only powerful but it can also be crazy beautiful,” Hippity Chickity co-owner Erin O’Shaughnessy said.

O’Shaughnessy grew up on a 200 acre tree farm where she spent time creating habitats for wildlife and enjoying the animals on the property, which included, elk, mountain lions, bobcats and of course chickens and ducklings. She said she believes that no home is complete until you find ways to experience a piece of the farm.

“By the time I was 10 years old, I knew how to hatch butterflies and corner bob cats in trees.  I realized many of my friends who grew up in the city missed out on some of the beautiful and fun adventures of connecting with animals and growing plants and food. Now it’s one of my favorite things to see, when adults who have never raised a chick or hatched a butterfly to do it and then watch them giggle and light up,” O’Shaughnessy commented. “We are all about people living in the city but still experience a piece of that sweet farm life.”

Travis Stone, the other co-owner of Hippity Chickity brings another powerful piece to the business. Stone has a background in Idaho land management, wind energy and protecting native species in Idaho. The Shoshone Bannock tribal member has a deep connection to nature and his tribe here in Idaho.

“When you grow up with monarch butterflies flying around and huge bumble bees everywhere you just can’t wait to explore nature more and see what else is out there,” Stone said. “But we know people in the city don’t always have access to that on a daily basis so they might not realize how important these pollinators are. If we can get more people to garden and connect with nature then maybe they will be more concerned once we see some of those species and plants dying off. Once you start connecting with nature, it’s hard to stop."

To learn more about Hippity Chickity and how they are creating beautiful, groovy and fun ways to connect with a piece of the farm, check out: www.hippitychickity.com