Kline Creek Farm

The farmhouse was the center of domestic activities and today contains original artifacts and reproductions that enhance its homelike atmosphere. House tours start on the hour from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and present topics from baking, canning, quilting and spring cleaning to preparing the house for special celebrations.

Depending on the time of year, staff and volunteers plant heirloom fruits and vegetables in the kitchen garden, tend to the orchard, work in the wagon shed or cure sausages in the smoke house. Percheron work horses help plant and harvest crops of corn, oats and other small grains; and resident livestock, such as the farm’s Southdown sheep, Shorthorn cattle, and chickens, occupy the farm’s coop, barn, fold and pastures.

Beekeeping is also a longstanding tradition at Kline Creek Farm. Since 1984 volunteer beekeepers have managed the farmstead’s apiary by caring for the bees, extracting and processing honey, and leading educational programs and tours that focus on the honeybee’s role as primary pollinator for two-thirds of all U.S. crops. The sale of honey at the Timber Ridge Visitor Center helps to support farm programs and operations. 

Inside the Timber Ridge Visitor Center, seasonal exhibits present elements of the 1890s and the agricultural heritage of DuPage County. The center has modern restrooms, a drinking fountain, general forest preserve information and a center store where visitors can purchase beverages and snacks. Unique gifts are also available such as locally produced honey and soaps, Victoriana, children’s toys, games and books.