RAINBOW TROUT FISHING
Tracey Tischler Tracey Tischler

RAINBOW TROUT FISHING

I loved this experience! I went fishing at Rainbow Trout Farm in Sedona, Arizona. It was a chilly morning and I got there right at 9am when they opened so I was the only one there fishing and I had both ponds to myself.

The nice thing about going to Rainbow Trout Farm is that you don’t need a license or equipment and they will filet what you catch for you when you are done. You can either bring it home with you to cook or you can cook and eat what you catch onsite!

You fish with bamboo poles and no bobbers. That really took me back. We used to go fishing on our pontoon when I was little and use cane poles. My dad never got a chance to fish because he was too busy putting bait on our hooks and then taking off the fish we caught. He was also making sure we didn’t catch each other with a hook when we cast! I am so happy my dad taught me to fish and how to bait my own hook and take fish off. I even learned how to filet them when I was younger.

When you get to Rainbow Trout Farm, they give you a ball of bait for the fish. It helped to wet it because it made it stick on the hook better. It took me about 15 minutes to catch my first fish and I was so excited! I forgot how exciting it is to catch one. I tried both ponds and caught four fish total. I caught and unhooked all the fish and put them in the bucket. When you are done, you bring your bucket of fish up to the window and they will either filet it there so you can cook it on the grill (they have all the provisions like spices, plates, utensils, etc.). Or, you can have them just cleaned and fileted and take them with you.

Rainbow Trout Farm currently stocks only Rainbow Trout. They are hatched from eggs and raised to dinner size right on the property in fresh, artesian spring water. They don’t use any antibiotics or hormones and only high-quality fish feed in raising them.

If you love to fish, you would love this experience. Also, it’s great for kids since it’s easy to catch a fish and they can feel the exhilaration of what it’s like! I highly recommend stopping here if you are ever in the area.

You can learn more on their website at: https://sedonarainbowtroutfarm.com/

My YouTube Video on fishing for Rainbow Trout: https://youtu.be/2ieJ6FioCIA

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LOCALLY LAID AIRB-N-BAWK - WRENSHALL, MN
Tracey Tischler Tracey Tischler

LOCALLY LAID AIRB-N-BAWK - WRENSHALL, MN

In August, 2022, I happened to randomly run across an article about Locally Laid Egg Company in Wrenshall, Minnesota (about 2 1/2 hours away from me). The article was about how they just started in the summer of 2001 an AirB-n-Bawk where you can literally sleep with the chickens! If you know me, you know I’m always up for an adventure and even MORE, an out of the box adventure. Well, this was one and I knew I had to go to.

I made a reservation for a week night in September and couldn’t wait to see what it was all about. I can tell you, I wasn’t disappointed!

The owners and your hosts are Jason and Lucie. They have more chicken puns then you’d even guess, they are hilarious and the best hosts ever. The minute I pulled in around 3:30pm (with instructions to “turn right by the big chicken at the start of the driveway”), I got out of my car and lots of chickens started running towards me (all named Lola by the way) to welcome me. Or, so I thought. Jason came out of the door of the house and told me that the chickens had “gotten out” again. Someone was coming to fix the fence, but, in the meantime, sometimes the chickens could get out. I spent the first hour and an half grabbing chickens, sometimes even two or three, to put back in the coop alongside Jason! I told them that they should charge people to do this as a workout! People pay, they let the chickens out, and they run around picking them up. I know I got over my 10,000 steps in, that’s for sure!

They also have blueberry and honeyberry bushes and they sell the berries. Some they sell to make a berry cider that you can buy at Wild Berry Cider in Duluth. Jason graciously gave me two ciders as my reward for helping gather all the chickens. It tasted so good and was smooth.

Locally Laid has two options for your AirB-n-Bawk, the Perch and the Nest. The Perch (around $110 a night, depending on the month) is a contemporary 10x 20 tiny house. Built 5-feet up for pasture views, it's tucked in a grove near a Berry farm with a seasonal, large chicken flock. They have a small home flock year round. Large flock Oct 18 returning in Mid-April. The Nest (around $46 a month depending on the month), which I stayed in, is a rustic, solar bunkhouse! This immersive experiential structure is part living space, part chicken coop. Large windows divide the sections giving guests a “Peep Show." You literally are sleeping with the chickens. What I was amazed about was they were so noisy during the day but, when the sun starts to go down, they all start going into the coops themselves. Once in the coops, you don’t here a “peep” out of them until around 5:30am. And, if you stay in the Nest, Jason will bring you coffee in the morning. I was up at 5:30 to let the ladies out and to gather the eggs. I even jumped in to help clean and package them.

You can also choose your own Chicken Chore Adventure(s)! I did them all:

The “Choose Your Own Adventure” stay can include:

• Tending pasture-raised poultry

• Gathering eggs & washing

• Opening the coops in the morning

• Putting chickens to bed at night

There are also close bike trails, a State Park and Duluth. You can get a nearby gym pass for $6.

I had a fun time just being by myself but I can imagine how fun it would be to bring a family, especially if you had kids. They can learn about the farm and working with the chickens. I told my daughter I want to bring her next summer.

This is a do not miss adventure if you are in Minnesota and close to Duluth. I loved all the Lola’s (even though they got out the next day, too, and I had to help round them up!), the beautiful land and both the hosts, Jason and Lucie. If you go, tell them Tracey sent you:-)

Oh, and Lucie wrote a book that was published called: Locally Laid by Lucie B. Amundsen if you want to check it out.

YOUTUBE VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/cHxxknm4LJ0

Locally Laid Website: https://locallylaid.com/

You can also check out my YouTube Videos on my experience.

Sleeping With the Chickens: https://youtu.be/cHxxknm4LJ0

Interview with Jason and Lucie: https://youtu.be/PWVb3S6eK8g

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