Just one-and-a-half miles north of Brookings lies a 98-year-old barn that has been given a second life.
Bill and Julie Ross, owners of Good Roots Farm & Gardens are on a mission to create a space for people to purposefully gather, celebrate, and make memories.
As third generation owners of the family farm Julie was raised on, the couple took their time evaluating how they wanted to operate the budding event venue.
“We were inspired by the idea of encouraging families and friends to enjoy a peaceful gathering place for fun and rest,” explained Julie.
“WE LOVE HELPING OUR STAFF GET SET UP FOR SEASONAL AND VOCATIONAL SUCCESS WHEN THEY GROW OUT OF OUR SUMMER WORK.”
– Julie Ross
With the intention to be accessible and enjoyable for all ages, the couple opened the venue in 2017 as a wedding, event, and pizza farm.
The farm hosts private, corporate, educational, and community events from May until November. Events include weddings, Wood-Fired Pizza Nights, graduation and birthday parties, baby showers, kids camps, day retreats, and more.
“We host Sunday pizza nights for the public in the summer, typically making 100 pizzas from scratch,” shared Julie.
Pizzas can be savory or sweet, and are made with toppings harvested fresh and organic whenever possible. They are baked in outdoor, wood-fired ovens.
Attendees order online from the rotating menu options starting on Tuesday for the following Sunday. Drinks are also available to purchase in the barn, including lemonade, wine, beer, and seltzers.
“Many guests bring lawn chairs and blankets, and settle in to enjoy their pizzas on the farm,” said Julie.
This summer, 605’s designer Cailyn Patterson and I made the drive to Brookings for a Wood-Fired Pizza Night.
The farm practically glowed on the warm July evening, with couples and families coming and going at their leisure. Strains of live music floated out from the barn, mingling with the smell of the pizzas baking in the wood-fire ovens.
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Pizzas are 12” or more and change seasonally. They can be made on Rustic Crust, Thin & Crispy Crust, or Cauliflower Crust.
+ Berry Surprise
Homegrown huckleberries, strawberries, and rhubarb. Topped with streusel and glaze.
+ Farm Philly
A white sauce pizza topped with roast beef, banana pepper, jalapeno, onion, and a five cheese blend.
+ Garden Surprise
Topped with red sauce and garden- fresh eggplant, swiss chard, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic.
+ Happy Hawaiian
Ham, pineapple, onion, basil, and red sauce.
After getting some shots of the signage out front, Cailyn and I visited the goat pen—home to Double and Trouble. Trouble bleated rambunctiously at us from the top of his playground before coming down and accepting some head scratches.
Next, we headed over to a new addition to the farm: a store called Vintage and Veggies. The shop features a variety of things, including vintage and antique items, jelly made from their farm grapes, mugs, hats, doorknobs, and more.
Cailyn found a driftwood tapestry hand-woven by a local artist, while a green bell pepper figurine caught my eye. We exited the store with our finds, but not before getting to watch a robin feed her baby birds nesting just outside the door.
Along with live music, Monarch Aerial Arts often performs on aerial silks during the summer. We spoke to owner Joscelyne Larson, who had her girls pose for a group picture for us.
HAPPY HOSTS
Bill and Julie have a background in missions and pastoral care on several continents, and consistently engage with leadership development, strategic planning, and hospitality.
The farmyard was alive with activity everywhere we looked. People were munching on pizza, artists were flying on the silks while their parents watched with adoration, and kids ran wild, playing with bubble machines and petting the animals.
Cailyn and I made plans to come back before we had even tasted the pizza.
Bill and Julie put in an order for us, which included both a sweet and a savory pie. We watched the staff roll out the dough, spread toppings, and carefully turn the pizzas in the ovens until the Garden Surprise and the Berry Surprise were ready to eat.
But not, of course, before taking pictures to document.
While we shot, Bill fetched us some of the farm’s lemonade and plucked a fresh sprig of spearmint to adorn the beverages. The pizza’s rustic crust and rich toppings paired well with the sweet, cool lemonade.
“IT’S WONDERFUL TO THINK WE CAN HELP PEOPLE LEARN MORE, DEVELOP PASSIONS, & ASPIRE HIGHER.” -Julie Ross
In addition to Pizza Nights and events, Bill and Julie rent out the farm for weddings from May to November.
“We offer a lot of perks, from tables and chairs for 200, access to our commercial kitchen for light prep, a lovely room for brides and attendants, yard games, the cute farm store, manicured grounds, and even some farm animals,” said Julie.
There are six different locations on the farm for wedding ceremonies, and the grounds boast abundant natural light, as well as fire pits, plenty of parking, and even optional hay rides.
“Some weddings are small, some weddings welcome over 300 guests,” said Julie. “And there’s a perfect place for your rented tent, if you like that vibe
The couple is committed to the growth of their employees, helping them master many different roles of service. The Rosses will soon host an Enneagram personality training.
“We love people, and we love playing a role in helping them create wonderful memories,” said Julie.
For Bill and Julie, it’s all about community.
“We aspire to create an atmosphere for family and friends to grow, celebrate, and build quality relationships—as well as contributing to building our Brookings community,” revealed Julie.
