News

Dear Double J Friends,

We are into our third week of our social distancing/stay at home effort and we are still trying to adjust to a new way of life.  We have been trying hard to keep connected by using Facebook Live, every day, in hopes of giving everyone a little bit of “Double J” love.  While we’re grateful for our health and those of our staff, there are still feelings of loss associated with this isolation. We certainly miss our students, but agree that everyone’s health is the priority.

 

As I write this update, I have to express how blessed and grateful we are for all of the love and support from so many of our current and past customers and friends. Daily, we hear from so many people expressing how much they love Double J and what it has meant to them to be part of our community.

 “We can’t thank you enough for the joy you bring to our daughter”;  “Thank you for making such a difference in our daughters life”; “The community you have created for your riders is phenomenal”;  “Sending positive thoughts and good wishes”.

These are just some of the personal and uplifting messages we have been receiving.  To all of those people and those of you not mentioned, we appreciate you and are sincerely grateful.

Even though our doors are closed, our hard working animal caregivers are still here, making sure our animals are well fed and exercised.  This presents us with an extremely challenging situation as the cost of feeding and care of our animals without income is insurmountable. In order to overcome this problem, we have come up with a few ways you can help.

Sponsorship – Double J is running a sponsorship program to help subsidize feeding all of our animals.  You can choose your favorite horse, goat, sheep, chinchilla, guinea pig or other animal. Even Butters is available for sponsorship!!  You will receive a sponsorship certificate, animal photos and more. Not only do these help us tremendously, but they make great gifts (for Easter or Birthday) too!!  No matter how large or small your budget is, there is an animal that can be sponsored.

Sponsorship Link: https://doublejridingclubstore.square.site/s/search?q=sponsorship

Food/Scrap Drop-off – We are happy to take donations of food or food scraps of vegetables and fruits for the small animals.  We have set up a large cooler by the front door of the farm house. Any food/food scraps can be dropped off in the cooler. These are used to feed the pigs, ducks, chickens, rabbits, goats, tortoises and many indoor animals.

Horse Cookies – Our horses (and even the other farm animals) love these!!  If you are looking for a fun way to connect with the farm animals why not bake them some cookies.  You can drop them off at the farm house in the cooler by the front door. We will then deliver them to the horses during our Facebook live sessions.  If you leave a letter of who the cookies were made from, we are happy to share during the daily live session.

We’re also working hard on keeping connected with all of our customers through our Facebook Page, as I mentioned, we are doing a Facebook Live tour every day.  In addition, we are now offering some great classes on Zoom. We encourage you to check those out! Beginning soon, we will also be sending out some riding e-lessons.  Rest assured, we are working hard here to make sure you can stay connected, in any way we can. If you have any additional suggestions on what we could do, please reach out. We would love to hear from you.

Class Signup Link: https://doublejridingclub.com/event/learning-at-home-schedule/

Hopefully this will give you some ideas on how you can help during the shutdown.  Again, we are so grateful for any way you can contribute. Have a blessed Easter.

Thanks from all of us at Double J.

Wish you knew how to garden? Let a lifelong garden pro help teach you the ropes in this informal and informational class. Bring a cup of coffee and get ready to tackle your backyard problems and make the yard and garden of your dreams come into reality, without taking up much of your free time.

Learn More and Sign Up HERE!

 

Hello! Butters the Barn Cat here, speaking on behalf of the Double J Riding Club, on account of the fact that no one knows more about what’s going on around here better than I do. I’m so knowledgeable about every aspect of this farm that I taught a portion of our home school equine science class last week. (BTW, it’s never too late to register for any of home school classes for a prorated tuition).

We have a fun fairy garden workshop coming up on January 25th from 10-noon. Each participant will create their own tiny world to take home (while enjoying light snacks and beverages) and finish up the event with a farm tour. Register now, spots are limited. The link to sign up is below.

Join us for horse or animal adventure camp on on President’s Day, February 17th, from 10-3 (with available before and after care). If they have half as much fun as they did in camp this Monday it will be a real hoot! We will keep your kids engaged, get them some fresh air and exercise as well as sneaking in some education. They will love it! You can find more info below. 

Tiny Animal Adventure and Junior Farmer classes are learning all about nocturnal animals this week. Which is definitely me as I like to get a good 10 hour nap in during the day.

Parents’ Night Out is very popular here at the farm, but Parents’ Night Out on Valentine’s Day is BEYOND popular, so sign up now to ensure your kids get a spot. They will play games, meet the animals, make crafts, eat a great dinner and make new friends from 6-9pm. This event is perfect for ages 4-12 years old. I hear down the grapevine there is also one coming up this Friday, January 24th. Link below. 

This weekend I was introduced to some new furry and not so furry friends. My friends list is getting pretty large and now I can add a snake, blue tongue skink, skinny pig, rooster, rats and water turtles to the list! Stop by one of our classes and I bet you will get to meet them! Turns out the less fur they have the sweeter they get.

That’s it for me this week, until we speak again, don’t let anyone touch your belly,  

Butters the Barn Cat

 

Happy New Year!!!!

Butters the Barn cat here to wish all of our friends (both two and four legged) a Happy and Healthy 2020! January is a big month for us at Double J.  We will mark our 20th Anniversary which for a cat is a lifetime!! Since I was not here 20 years ago, my mom sat down with me today and showed me pictures of Double J Riding Club from January 2000.  Boy, have things changed!!

Looking back at these last two decades I am so purrrr-oud of what we have accomplished.  This is proof that you should follow your dreams (no matter how crazy they may seem) because with hard work and the right team, great things can happen!!  We have so many to thank for this success – the phenomenal people who have shared their talents teaching and working hard to create a “one of a kind” safe learning environment for animal and nature lovers, the animals who taught us how to be compassionate and kind, and the children and adults who have believed in us and took time out of their busy lives to be part of our Double J family. We truly appreciate all of your love and support and hope you can find some time to join us on our ongoing adventures in 2020.

Next week in Tiny Animal Adventures (18 months to 4 years) and Junior Farmers (3 to 6 years) we will be learning all about taking care of pets. Planned activities include making guinea pig treats, cleaning a hermit crab habitat, brushing rabbits, growing cat grass and gathering eggs from the hen house. 

Tiny Animal Adventures runs Mondays and Wednesdays from 10-11 am and Junior Farmers takes place on Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30-10:30.

Check out our options for families that home school in 2020! We just added courses in horticulture, photography and mixed media art, as well as the existing classes in equine science, animal science and STEM science.

Hey Moms!!!  Looking for a new way to tone up this year???  Did you know that horseback riding provides many benefits, mentally and physically? We have openings for private lessons for moms, during the day while the kids are at school, in January and February. It’s a great cardiovascular exercise, good for strengthening core muscles, it provides a break from the non-stop activities/things you do for other people, adds some fun and excitement, a well-deserved break from the day-to-day. Horseback riding can be exercise, viewed as self-care and can help you pass on the patience, respect and discipline you learn while riding to your kids. There’s nothing like connecting with a horse.

That’s it for me this week, keep your fur clean and grab a nap in the sun.

This is Butters, signing off!

Winter 2020 Home School Semester Information is up and we have some incredible classes to offer your children this year! Classes begin week of January 13th and run to the week of March 16th.

Double J offers a variety of Home School programs that focus on teaching children skills that nurture a reverence for life, care-taking of both animals and the environment, learning about sustainable agriculture and creating a strong sense of community. Activities are hands on, teach a variety of socially responsible and environmentally friendly lessons and provide city kids an opportunity to get down and dirty on the farm.

Programs run Fall – Spring and are open to children from Kindergarten-12th grade

Class options:
Tiny Animal Adventures – Ages 18mo- 4yrs
Junior Farmers – Ages 3-6 yrs
Equine Science – Ages 7-14 yrs
Animal Science: Habitats – Ages 6-10 yrs
STEM Science (Chemistry & Genetics/Evolution) – Ages 10-15 yrs
Horticulture – Ages 7-14 yrs
Introduction to Digital Photography – Ages 8-18 yrs
Mixed Media Art- Ages 8-18 yrs

More Information, Prices and To Sign Up Click Here!

Meet our Instructors Here!

Complete Winter 2020 Semester Pamphlet Here!

December 4th Weekly Newsletter

I’m sure I need no introduction but just in case we haven’t met, I am Butters, the most social barn cat in the whole Midwest. I know absolutely everything that’s going on around the Double J Riding Camp, so much so that they made me the CEO (Cat Executive Officer). I’m the purrfect feline to keep you humans up to date with what’s going on around here.

Last week was Thanksgiving and this cat is thankful for the good times spent with my friend Meru, who passed away last week. She will be missed by many riders, especially Allison and Olivia, who she loved so much. 

In much better Butters news, we had a bustling week filled with campers during Thanksgiving break. We run 2 kinds of camp here, horse camp and animal adventures camp. The kids were here from 10-3 (with available before and after care) and it seemed to me that they were having a blast! Those kids were non-stop; grooming and tacking, riding, making cool crafts, learning farm science, playing silly games and everyone met LOTS of animals (including me, when I felt like playing along).

We will have horse and animal adventure camp here during winter break, too. A really good idea for kids that get cabin fever! You can learn more about it here. 

Next week things get back to normal, it’s Barn Cat & Farm Dog week for Tiny Animal Adventures (18 months to 4 years) and Junior Farmers (3 years to 6 years). The kids are making pumpkin dog treats, playing herding dog games, going on scavenger hunts for mice ( I approve!) and meeting Sully, an Australian Shepherd, who also lives on the farm. I may or may not show my face so that the kids can learn about how hard I work around here.

I heard there is going to be a wreath workshop on Saturday morning, at 9 AM where humans can come and learn how to make their own wreath out of fresh greens. It sounds like exactly the kind of thing I’d like to get my paws in the middle of. 

Parents Night Out is coming up this Friday night. Human children are dropped off at the farmhouse at 6 pm, where they eat dinner, learn about animals, play games, run around and get very silly (and VERY LOUD) until their parents pick them up at at 9pm.

Kids love it. Barn cats? Not so much. I think I’ve got some mice to catch that night. 

Last thing- Santa is coming to the farm and I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to get some of my fur on that suit for anything! Meet Santa, hear a story, do a craft and meet some of my animal friends on December 13th or 15th. I don’t want to miss it and I bet you won’t either. 

 

That’s everything happening at Double J this week. 

 

This is Butters, signing off!

 

 

 

Head to our shop today to find some Double J wear and experience bundles perfect for your animal lover!

Shop Now!

The weather may have cooled off but activities on the farm are heating up! 🔥

🐴Do your age 4-13 kids need a place to hang out during holiday breaks? We have Thanksgiving and Winter Camp while the kids are out of school, from 10-3 (with available before and after care).

🐷🐰Tiny Animal Adventures is for tots aged 18 months to 4 years, featuring a ton of sensory activities, animal encounters and messy play, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10-11 AM.

 

Come join Double J Riding Club for a day of crafting. Our holiday craft workshops are perfect for adults and children and all participants will leave with a beautiful creation that will for sure become a front and center piece for the holidays. 

 

Sign Up Here! 

 

Holiday Workshops:

December 7th- Holiday Wreath Workshop- Find out more here!

December 14th- Holiday Gift Wrap Workshop- Find out more here!

December 21st- Holiday Winter Table Centerpiece- Find out more here!

 

Details:

When? Offered on select Saturdays from 9am-12pm

Where? Double J Riding Club- 10545 W 74th Street, Countryside IL 60525, Upstairs Clubhouse

How Much? Price differs per craft

 

Cant Make One of These Events? Ask us how you can schedule a private event with 5 or more of your friends.

Perfect for birthday parties, friends night out and girl scouts!

 

Meet the Instructor, Amanda!

Amanda Thomsen is an avid gardener, cooker and crafter. She is also the author of Kiss My Aster, Backyard Adventure and writes for Green Profit Magazine, as well as a brownie troop leader and overall nature lover. With her experience working in landscape design and being a mom herself she is an expert at teaching moms how fun do it yourself projects can really be!

She lives with her husband, daughter, Husky, dachshund/pug mix and cat in Palos Park. Amanda cant wait to teach you how to make your own dryer sheets, start up a backyard chicken coop, create winter wreaths that will hang on your door all season long and so much more!

Read more about Amanda and catch up on her blog at:

https://www.kissmyaster.com/about-me