The upcoming “Henderson Spectacular” is sure to check a lot of boxes for folks in the community who want to visit a local farm, play games and enjoy the outdoors, but Larry Johnson and Emily Parker are weaving in a religious theme into all the activities that will be taking place on Saturday, Apr. 27.
And they want to spread the word, especially about The Greatest Story Ever Told.
Johnson owns SaddleRock Farm, and he and his granddaughter-in-law were guests on Tuesday’s TownTalk segment to talk up the event, which is completely free for everyone to attend. Gates open at 11 a.m. and the fun continues until 3 p.m. Come early, Johnson advised, so you’ll have a chance to enjoy all the activities that are in store.
“I’m blessed to be a part of it…I’m glad to have it at the farm – it’s special,” Parker said.
“Our farm furnishes the location,” Johnson said, and New Sandy Creek Baptist Church is a primary sponsor for this year’s “Spectacular,” which will feature horse rides and hayrides, inflatables for the kids to play on, puppet shows and much more.
Then there’s the food – think carnival food like popcorn, sno-cones and drinks to go along with all the outdoor fun – “all for zero cost,” Johnson added.
Kids of all ages can enjoy visiting with some barnyard animals, including goats, sheep, a pig, chickens, ducks, geese, peacocks – even a turkey.
Not to worry, Johnson said, all these animals have names. And you can’t eat them once you give them names, he explained.
The farm is a for-profit endeavor, providing riding lessons, field trips and birthday parties throughout the year. But it’s important to Johnson to give back to the community, and hosting the event is his way of going that.
“When I bought that farm, I didn’t buy it for the public, I bought it for my family. Not too long after that, God spoke to my heart and said he had provided that farm…not just for my family but for other people. So when we opened in April 2010, we had a pretty big dedication service and we dedicated that farm to the Lord and his work. We do have to make a living – the farm does have to support itself, but it is dedicated to the Lord and every opportunity we have to provide any service that people can learn more about the Lord, we do that.”
SaddleRock Farm is located at 1786 Weldon’s Mill Rd., Henderson.
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