The story began in 1984. The founder of the Critter Barn, Mary Rottschafer, explained “With the excitement of moving out in the country, came the hope of a larger garden and a do-it-yourself lifestyle. A surprise party planned by a group of friends changed the course of our lives forever. With a freshly painted barn and a few animals, our farm experience began unexpectedly. In just six years children from area schools were on our farm for school field trips, and today our educational farm is a West Michigan attraction to over 100,000 people.

Today a dedicated leader continues the learning and fun! Before joining Critter Barn, Tony McCaul worked with the Ottawa County ISD for 14 years as an Ag Tech teacher. Tony is a graduate of Michigan State University and Colorado State University with Bachelors and Masters degrees in Agriscience, Agriculture Education, and Biology. In this edition of Michigan Corners, host Vic Verchereau gets the scoop (or a shovel full!) from Tony. Grab the kids and head west! The Critters are ready to greet you and tell you all about the farm!