Category Archives: Gainesville

Mill Creek Farm A Retirement Home For Horses

Posted on by Posted in $ Inexpensive, Alachua, Browse By City, Browse By County, Browse By Park Type, Browse By Price, Family, FREE, Gainesville, Privately Maintained .
Mill Creek Farm Retirement Home For Horses

Mill Creek Farm Retirement Home For HorsesWhen I was a kid, I distinctly remember every summer when it was corn season. At almost every meal, we would have fresh corn on the cob loaded with lots of salt and butter. Did any one else have a dedicated stick of butter with a huge indent in it? We called it the “rolling butter” and the process somehow made the corn more delicious! After dinner, my mom would collect the corn cobs and jam them in a bag that was eventually destined for my cousin’s house. On occasion, I would be lucky enough to bring the big bag of corn cobs up the road to her house and feed them to her horse Boss. I couldn’t tell you much about Boss, only that he was friendly and to this day whenever I eat corn on the cob, I think of my childhood. This weekend we brought the boys to Mill Creek Farm a Retirement Home For Horses, in Alachua County. Hopefully at least my oldest will have similar memories!

So a retirement home for horses? It’s great really, it’s a spot where they keep all the aging horses, set them up with wheelchairs, hearing aids, and they get to play canasta all day in between episodes of Perry Mason and Matlock. No, it’s not really like that, but instead if you ever had a parent tell you that your beloved pet “went to the farm”, Mill Creek Farm is exactly that picturesque farm complete with rolling hills with lush grass that you imagined your best friend went to. It’s so nice in fact, I think I want to retire there! Continue reading →

Farm and Forest Festival

Posted on by Posted in $ Inexpensive, Alachua, Annual Events, Browse By City, Browse By County, Browse By Park Type, Browse By Price, City, Family, Gainesville, Hiking, Historical .
farm and forest festival

farm and forest festivalIn late April, the family and I had the opportunity to head on over to Gainesville for the Farm and Forest Festival! Hosted by the Morningside Nature Center, we can honestly say this was a very unique experience. We were a bit concerned at first, as when we went to park the car, we could only see one small portion of the event, but it turns out there was quite a bit to do and see.

So before I go into what was available at the Farm and Forest Festival, let me tell you a little bit about where it was hosted. The Morningside Nature Center is operated and primarily funded by the City of Gainesville. We have been to a handful of nature centers, but must admit that this one is one of the largest, and most diverse we have been to. In addition to a great outdoor meeting place, the Morningside Nature center also features a living history farm, section on Native American culture, as well as over 6 miles of walking trails. Various programs are offered throughout the week and once a month history comes alive at the Living History Days where actors portray turn of the century farm residents and workers.

On a very gloomy April morning we trekked over to the Farm and Forest Festival. The weather was sprinkling all morning, but the event still went on. When we arrived, we eagerly paid the admission of $5 per adult, as our little guy was still free. There was ample parking when we pulled in, but we were expecting something different from what we experienced. Not that it’s a bad thing by any means, but just different. Most of the festivals we go to have lots of vendors, food trucks, and other visitors. This was a much more serene environment. Continue reading →

Satchel’s Pizza – A Gainesville Tradition

Posted on by Posted in $$ Moderately Priced, Alachua, Browse By City, Browse By County, Date Ideas, Dining, Family, Gainesville .
satchel's pizza

satchel's pizzaIt’s not a big surprise that we hardly ever eat out when we go out discovering new Frugal Florida Fun, but we decided to make an exception in this case. One of our readers suggested we checkout Satchel’s Pizza in Gainesville, so when we were in the area at the Farm and Forest Festival we decided to check it out on the way home. What we discovered surprised us! We located a fun, quirky, delicious place that we would have never stopped in to visit had we not had the personal recommendation.

So what exactly is Satchel’s Pizza? Well it’s a goofy kinda mix of a local pizza joint, bar, bocce ball court, junk shop, playground and museum. Seriously it’s all of those combined! At first I was reluctant to stop by, as the building looked like it was right out of a sitcom, but I was happy we did! For a Saturday afternoon the place seemed like it was packed, but the parking was a bit deceiving. Don’t get me wrong, they were hopping, but if you see a full lot, find a spot and park it’s worth it!

So as we headed into the restaurant, we noticed an old beat up looking van parked right out front. Not thinking anything about it, I figured it was just part of the theme. As it turns out you could actually dine inside the van! Talk about awesome delivery service! Satchel’s Pizza features all sorts of quirky little nooks to eat in. In addition to the van, they have a porch like area, garden dining, as well as a few surprise dining spots I’ll tell you about later.  The hostess stand is located right outside the front door, and every inch of space seems to have a very well thought out purpose. Continue reading →