Farm and community to be showcased at Harvest Festival

While the seventh annual Lighthouse Christian Home Harvest Festival will be their second biggest fundraiser of the year, the event is about more than just money.

It’s about community. Without community support, director Shirley Willis said, the home would be nowhere.

“It’s the only time we invite the community into our home,” Willis said. “This community continues to support what they’ve started and for that, we are thankful.”

The community came together as summer started to help build a greenhouse, something Willis said the home has been planning for a few years now. Flathead Valley master gardeners, Americorps program volunteers, Conservation Corps kids and local community members in the construction industry helped residents get the building up.

With the greenhouse up and going before growing season started, Lighthouse was able to get some seeds started before planting them.

“It really helped our garden be more productive this year,” Willis said.

The Lighthouse Chirstian Home is unique, created specifically for those families who want their child, brother or sister to be cared for in and surrounded by that sort of environment. Willis said in the last month or so, she has fielded phone calls and set up meetings with others who want to create something similar to Lighthouse in other areas.

“It was so affirming that it is such a productive philosophy,” Willis said. “To think that we’re on the same page when it comes to fulfilling the lives of people who don’t have as much as we do.”

Twelve residents that range from autistic to having William’s Syndrome live there. The garden is a major part of Lighthouse’s philosophy. Their philosophy follows three guiding principles — faith, farm and family. The land was donated by Lowell Bartels and his Farm in the Dell Incorporated. The property sits outside of Somers on 40 acres, where the residents raise chickens, cows, pigs and a large garden. All of which is tended to and eaten by the residents.

And the garden isn’t the only part of the farm the community helped residents with this year.

Last week the new cow barn was receiving its finishing touches right next to the new barn Lighthouse’s pigs are now hanging out in. Their Miniature Hereford herd added two calves this year, and Willis said they are expecting another three next year.

While the home won’t be raffling off one of their Hereford’s at this year’s harvest festival, they will be raffling off one of their pigs. The event starts at noon on Sat., Sept. 15. There will be pig, quilt and gift basket raffles, a petting zoo, face painting, horseback rides, Cowchip Bingo and a bake sale. Residents will also set up a mini farmers market and sell products from their garden, all of the proceeds from the market goes back into the residents’ pockets. Harvest Festival tickets are $2.50 for adults and $1 for children.

Lighthouse Christian Home is located at 384 North Somers Road. For more information call 857-3276.