Two of these guests were "the Two Marks", same name, same fun spirit, from the same small town in Iowa. It's a very small town.
These guys were simply very interesting and very fun. We got to talking about living in a small town in the rural American midwest and guess what? They informed us that the Field of Dreams is for sale!
FIELD OF DREAMS FOR SALE
Did you know that? I didn't.
It's a pretty hefty price tag - $5.4 million, which includes the 2 bedroom farmhouse, barn (mid-1800's), machine shed, corn crib, souvenir stand, store and of course, the ballfield.
You know what they say, build it and they will come. Or, buy it and they will come.
The owners, Don and Becky Lansing, host about 65,000 visitors per year. But now they're looking to retire.
It all sounds pretty enticing except I cannot imagine having 65,000 people drive up my driveway every year. YIKES. No way. I'd probably feel obligated to bake chocolate chip cookies for all of them.
Check out the interactive aerial map. That parking lot doesn't look like it can hold very many cars.
FIELD OF DREAMS INTERACTIVE AERIAL MAP
I'm pretty sure that people aren't visiting in the wintertime, so if we do the math and figure the busy season from April to October -
65,000 visitors divided by 7 months = 9,285 per month divided by 30 days per month = 309 per day.
(I know, I know, I'm always doing the math)
That's a lot of people driving up my driveway.
I think I'll take a pass.
There is something to be said for that "build it and they will come" attitude though. Build it and they will come, dream it and make it happen, create it and they will buy. Yeah, I can be on board with that.
For your information, Agritourism is on the rise. It includes anything from pumpkin farms where you can spend the day, to farms where you can stay and work. Are there any Agritourist sites near you?
9 comments:
We have yet to make the short trip up to the Field of Dreams. I did hear it was for sale earlier this summer. We have our own field of dreams here. Its a ball field in the middle of the river bottom fields. Kids (including mine) play softball on it in the summer. There is just something about sitting on those bleachers with corn and soybeans all around you with the sun going down over the river while the kids play ball.
I had heard the field of dreams was for sale. I like you would not take fondly to that much company, 1 or 2 a day would be good but not the 100's! I hate to say this but there are no agritourist farms in my area. There was one, a pumpkin/dairy farm run by a young couple but they sold the farm. My dh does not like to have visitors on the farm (the daughters FFA was grudingly allowed) so there will be agritourism here....
We went to the Field of Dreams site when our boys were younger. They ran the bases and we cheered. I, though like you, can't imagine always having people drive up my driveway like they do. I like a tad more privacy than that. :) I'm looking forward to the responses you get on your agri-tourism question.
OMGosh, this is amazing. FOR SALE !! Boy, if I had the money, I'd buy it. I would LOVE to have that many people coming, looking and PAYING. Woo hoo !! hahaa
So glad you came over to visit. Sometimes, in this HUGE Blogland, I get lost and lose some favorite blogs...your's being one. Thanks so much for finding me.
I am signing up to follow....and hope you will come back to see me soon.
hugs, bj
I did know that this was for sale. I cannot imagine that many people arriving on my property everyday. Too much for this chick. No agritourist sites around here. Likely in Lexinton area though.
the math just doesn't quite work, does
it?
i do love the idea of 'build and they
will come.' it applies to so many things.
if i bake cookies, more kids come to
our house.
if i bolster myself with good books and
deeper thoughts, i have something to
share . . .
Wow, this is amazing!
Kelli
xoxo
Thanks so much for the link to the aerial map. We're planning to be at that very spot on Sunday. Our son has played baseball since he was 5 years old, and he's now a senior in high school. We've talked about making a "pilgrimage" to The Field of Dreams for years, and we're finally doing it. We did know that it was for sale, but it's a bit out of our price range!
I can't even see the attraction of visiting there, but obviously there are many who do. And they spend money?!!!
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