Hooray for Family Central Texas May 2023

C e lebrating 20 Year

Happy May!

Happy Spring!

Get ready to hop into summer with our latest and greatest online guides. We’re always on the lookout for the most fun and exciting kid and family activities to keep you entertained all season long. From birthday party places to summer camps, we’ve got you covered. Don’t miss out on any of the action – stay connected with our website, social media, and make sure you’re signed up for our e-newsletter to ensure that you’re in the loop with all the hottest events and happenings.

Hungry for savings? Save $$ eating out with our Kids Eat Free Guide that lists places to get free, or really cheap, kids meals every day of the week! ~

Advertising Information: Michele Berger (254)723-3696

Publisher: Michele Berger

Creative Director: Jerri Denson

Office Manager: Melissa Talbert

Contributing Writer: Jessa McClure

Hooray For Family™ 2023. All copy, photographs and information contained herein is protected by copyright and is not to be reproduced. Publisher reserves the right to decline any advertisements.

Owner/ Instructor Jenni Holley, B A Dance & Theatre Cer tified Dance Masters of America

By Jessa McClure

Spring Festival

MAY 13 - JUNE 11

Furry farm animals, a bubble barn, apple cannons, and fields of sunflowers are just some of the reasons to come out to Western Belle Farm in West, TX for their annual Spring Festival.

This family farm is run by Brandon and Taylor Huffman who are fourth generation farmers from rural Maryland. Taylor grew up not only helping her parents tend to a 450-acre farm full of hay and row crops, but she also helped host a yearly pumpkin patch at the farm.

Even though Huffman and her husband loved the farm life in Maryland, farming over 450 acres, running a pumpkin patch business that hosted over 30,000 people in 20 days, and managing a full-time real estate career wasn’t giving them enough time to be the involved parents they wanted to be. So, when COVID hit, the couple decided to make a big change that included selling Taylor’s family farms and moving to Central Texas.

In November of 2021, the Huffmans purchased the “perfect” piece of land in West, TX and began a business that not only utilized their farming roots, but also allowed them to interact and engage with the community.

“We opened for our first festival in May of 2022, and we got right to work,” she said. “We built out zip lines, a farm animal area, and bale rollers and really hit the ground running.”

Western Belle Farm’s first festival, that highlighted their fields of sunflowers, welcomed 3000 patrons in the first few weekends.

“We said, ‘okay, there’s a demand for this. Let’s go ahead and build more stuff this summer before the fall,’” Huffman said. “So, we upgraded our concessions, built a new animal barn and added more activities like our pumpkin cannon.”

More than 7000 people visited the farm during the Pumpkin Festival in the fall of 2022, including close to 2000 students on school field trips.

“We’re heading into our second year and we’re opening back up for our second Spring Festival,” she said. “We’re doubling the size of our flower fields, so we’re going to have over five acres of U-Cut sunflowers. You can also walk the paths and take pictures.”

The festival will also include 20 other activities including barn slides, sensory boxes, tug-o-war, pony hop races, a farm-inspired seesaw, cattle drive barrel train rides, and much more. The Spring Festival is open from May 13 through June 11 on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Admission is $14 a person, and children ages two and under are free. There are also discounted rates for service members, teachers, and seniors.

“It’s a great place to come out as a family, enjoy being outside, and make lasting memories,” Huffman said.

Western Belle Farm is located at 7929 Heritage Parkway in West, TX. For more information about the farm, its attractions, and upcoming events, visit www.westernbellefarm.com, call (254) 447-7422 or send an email to info@westernbellefarm.com

Summer Camps & Activities

FOREVER FAMILIES

Community partners helping local children find a brighter future

By Jessa McClure

These siblings are closely bonded and are hoping for a forever family who will help them stay together. The three younger children, 13-year-old Adian, 9-year-old Zoeline, and 8-year-old Zeus are currently placed together, while 15-year-old Helena is placed in another home.

The siblings visit each other often and greatly look forward to their time together. They love watching funny movies together, playing games outdoors such as cornhole, and roasting s’mores. They also love LEGOs and expressing their creativity in a variety of ways.

And even though they love spending quality time together, they also appreciate having time to themselves. They would love to have their own bedrooms someday. They would be a wonderful addition to an active and welcoming family.

Helena, Adian, Zoeline, and Zeus would benefit from a structured, twoparent household where they can stay together and maintain important relationships. Their ideal forever family should be patient, caring, loving and ready to help with their transition.

If you’re interested in adopting Helena, Adian, Zoeline, and Zues or learning more about adoption, visit www.partnershipsforchildren.org/heartgallery/ helena-zoeline-adian-zeus.

Photo by Erin Hyatt Photography

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