Farm to Zoom
Bringing the Farm to Virtual Meetings and Classrooms – Farm to Zoom
April 19, 2020 – Bonnie Doone Farm, located in north Jacksonville, FL, announces a new service to bring the best of farm life to businesses and schools who are abiding by stay-at-home orders. Bonnie Doone’s owner and founder, Bieni Boyce, has been sharing her animals with Jacksonville for over 30 years. She stated, “with the current environment, the demand for animal ‘therapy’ has not been as important as today.” She went on to emphasize that “remote workers enjoy the comic relief of an emu pecking at the camera or the tenderness of a mother nuzzling its young lamb.”
Bonnie Doone Farm hosts a wide variety of animals on its property, ranging in size from the smallest of chicks to the draft horses which pull wagons and carriages. To address her customer’s needs, Boyce gives virtual tours of the farm as well as offers shorter 15-20 minute video sessions. These vary with the farmers answering questions tailored to the customer’s interest in a llama or turkey. Some simply want a video feed of an animal who “joins the meeting.” Businesses like FairCode of Marco Island, FL found Bonnie Doone because “our workers were tired from the pressure of balancing work and family in this new work-from-home lifestyle. Our company wanted to infuse a little fun in our virtual meetings so when we found ‘Farm to Zoom,’ we thought we would try it,” stated Kevin O’Neill, its Human Resources’ Director. “It was a huge hit. I don’t know what was more popular: the goats jumping on the hay bales or the cow excited about the next feeding.”
Business for farmers like Boyce has evaporated and they are relying on loans and savings to get through this economic disaster. “’Farm to Zoom’ is a way for us to pay for the feed and care of the animals that we have historically provided to businesses, churches and schools for so many years,” Boyce commented. She continued, “We have schools who traditionally have us bring petting zoos to the classroom. They are adjusting too. Now, the kids can learn about the animals on-line with a farmer to answer their questions.” O’Neill added, “These days, most of FairCode’s employees have their kids at home during the workday and this was fun for them too.”
ABOUT BONNIE DOONE FARM – Bonnie Doone Farm is located in the Callahan/Dinsmore area of Jacksonville, FL. The farm is home to animals, large and small, on its 80 acres. Over the years, rescued animals have lived their lives out on this bucolic property under the pecan trees.
