Question about Shady Oaks Butterfly Farm / Nursery

Has anyone been to Shady Oaks in Brooker, Florida?

I will be in Glynco, Georgia for five weeks and since I'll have free weekends am wondering if it will be worth the 130 mile drive to visit. Am not sure if they have a butterfly farm building you can walk around in???

Guess I should email Edith and ask :o)

I've ordered plants from them before and have been extremely pleased with their plants. Matter of fact, the few green shrimp plant liners I purchased last year have literally taken over sections of my back yard :o) Now am just waiting for the Malachites to find it.

~ Cat

ps...was at the ranch today. Had a nice selection of butterflies there. We got 1.5 inches of rain a couple of days ago so it has truly helped!!!

I have not been to their farm but have worked with them at a garden festival. There is also another farm in the area--Greathouse Butterflies. The owner is Zane Greathouse and if you would like to get in contact dmail me and I will send the information to you. He has had a butterfly house exhibit for the past 4 years + at the festival
Marion

Cat -

I visited Shady Oak in '06 during the first Butterfly Festival at UF. I took one of the scheduled "field trips". It was a wonderful place to visit. Edith was our tour guide. She took us through their entire operation. Showed us how they gather and sterilize the eggs, raise the baby cats, and how they take the pupas and attach them to a board so they are all in a group.

We got to go into the screened butterfly houses. She also told us how they catch and ship the butterflies they sell.

She told us all about OE and showed us what it looked like under a microscope. They also have a nice little giftshop. I bought a couple of books and my first "castle".

I'm not sure if she does private tours, but I bet she probably would if you were in the area.

I really learned a lot and enjoyed the tour. I think you would, too.

terrie

Thanks ya'll. I'll email Edith with tentative plans after I get settled in.

~ Cat

TPP,

We took a seminar there last year. Edith is a wonderful guide and educator and you won't regret going there. The nice people from Greathouse recently did the Tree Festival here in Jax and picked up some of the butterflies they used from Edith. They were also nice enough to bring me some plants I ordered from her so I wouldn't have to pay shipping. Have great time.

Maggie