Pair clears former Mills farm, cuts trails, erects 'yurts,' in escaping big-city bustle

A sign at the farm entrance has a picture of a guinea fowl, and reads,
"Patrolled by guineas." Besides a flock of guineas, there are nine
cats, several peacocks, French chickens and plenty of wildlife
populating the grounds.

BRISTOW - Rosa Lee Sheard and Dick Betz bothhad successful careers in the Seattle, Wash. area. Both decided it was time for a change. They were tired of the hustle and bustle of big city life, especially bumper-to-bumper rush hour traffic.

They decided to look around the country for 50 acres to live on, and start a business. It had to be someplace away from big city life.

They looked in Florida, along the East Coast, and in Ohio Amish country, and many other places, but ended up on 208-acres of rolling hill land in northern Perry County, near Adyeville.

The two have started the Mary Rose Herb Farm, and have rental "yurt" cottages for people who want an unusual getaway experience.

"My family lived in Elon in Orange County, which doesn't exist anymore," said Sheard. "It's now at the bottom of Patoka Lake. So as we looked, I told Dick to investigate southern Indiana. He stopped by a realtor in Ferdinand, and looked at this farm which had been abandoned for 10 years."

Betz said as soon as he saw the farm, "This one just was it." Sheard said when she saw it, her thoughts were exactly the same.

Dick Betz and Rosa Lee Sheard sample the scents of some of the
herbs they gow.

Since purchasing the former Edith Walker Mills farm on Cattail Road, the couple has cleared the brush, remodeled the home, cut walking trails, built a lake, and put up three yurts. Yurts are circular nomadic-type canvas structures that can withstand 100-mile-per-hour winds, and are used as far north as Alaska.

"When we arrived here, I think our neighbors thought we had dropped down from Mars," said Sheard, explaining their neighbors had never seen a yurt. "But, they have been great."

The farm has 160 acres of the Ferdinand State Forest on three sides of the property, making it even more secluded.

Hiking trails have been developed throughout the property, and can be used for cross-country skiing when weather permits.

A sign at the farm entrance has a picture of a guinea fowl, and reads, "Patrolled by guineas." Besides a flock of guineas, there are nine cats, several peacocks, French chickens, and plenty of wildlife.

The largest yurt serves as a retail outlet and class room, while the two smaller (21-foot diameter) yurts have been turned into bed-and-breakfast type rentals.

"We call it a step up from luxury camping," added Sheard. They are equipped with kerosene lanterns and water pitchers. But, seeing is believing. They are handsomely furnished and much nicer than one might imagine.

Scarecrows line a fence at the combination herb farm and
bed-and-breakfast type get-away.

After a 1996 heart attack, Sheard researched and eventually became a certified traditional Chinese herbalist. She has been asked to speak to doctors at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville about Chinese herbal medicine.

"After my heart attack, my recovery wasn't going well. I could hardly get off the couch. I began researching Chinese herbal medicine and talked with my doctor about it," explained Sheard.

"He said if I didn't take my prescribed medicine, I probably would die. I felt I didn't have any quality of life, so I tried the herbal medicine instead. In two weeks, I was much better and I went back to him. Now he is using herbal medicine along with the traditional medicine."

"Don't get me wrong. The traditional medicine saved my live," but she says there also is a place for herbal medicine "It's not for everyone. I'm just doing what my parents did. They didn't run to the doctor every time they felt bad. They also had their tonics in the spring and the fall."

She discourages people from stopping traditional treatments and starting herbs without consulting their doctors. "Go to your doctor. Ninety percent won't know about it. But if you take them information, most will give it an OK," she added.

Sheard shows the interior of the rental "Yurts" that she describes
as "a step up from luxury camping."

She specializes in five medical areas -arthritis, energy level, headaches, female problems, and skin problems.

They raise many of the herbs on the farm, and plan to grow more next season after testing gardens the past two years They also purchase and sell herbs obtained from other growers. Everything is organic.

Besides selling herbs and other organic products, they serve herbal dinners to groups by reservation, and are planning monthly theme dinners, which will include entertainment.

The first will be Dec. 15 and will be a medieval gourmet dinner, including seven courses, plus entertainment by musicians and magicians. The meal will be served in the larger yurt.

Future plans call for a community building with space for recreational facilities, meetings, and a large dining hall that will seat 150 guests for dinner. On the lower level will be showers and restrooms.

Plans call for the construction of a number of additional rental yurts located throughout the woods, which cover about half of the property.

Betz also is an inventor and has two patents. He hopes at some point to develop a small manufacturing operation on the property.

The retail store is open by appointment. Call ahead prior to spring & summer growing season.

"We are a working farm, so if people stop by during the week, they should call first.

They plan a special Christmas wreath open house on Saturday, Nov. 17, from 5-8 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.