Sonshine Acres

Small Homestead Ranch in Emmett, Idaho

Sonshine Acres is a year-round, homestead-style ranch located in Emmett, Idaho. They use different growing techniques and have produce of some sort for nearly 10 months out of the year.  They also grow market gardens for retail, as well as produce for their household and animals.

Sonshine Acres is veteran-owned and Homegrown by Heroes certified.

Since Sonshine Acres raises their own animals, they produce their own manure-based compost on-site, allowing them control over how crops are raised. They also plant start seedlings, which allows them to have larger plants ready earlier in the growing season. The produce changes with the season. Early on they will have crops that do well in the cooler weather, like lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, beets, radish, carrots, potatoes, and more. 

As the temperatures warm up they begin to add on things like tomatoes and corn. Then with the even warmer weather, they will have zucchini, pumpkin, peppers, and more. The reverse happens in the late summer and early fall.  Sonshine Acres can do another planting of things like potatoes, beets, and items that they can harvest right before the winter weather sets in. 

On the animal side, Sonshine Acres’s main herd is Katahdin Sheep. They are a hair breed and they typically sell spring lambs, but also fill orders for older sheep and even things like bred ewes. They also raise large white New Zealand rabbits, ducks, and therefore, duck eggs and ducklings at times. The same goes for chickens. They raise a few larger breeds that allow them to continue egg production into the winter months a bit.

They also have other animals they raise for a season or change from year to year, like goats, pigs, and geese. Keep in mind that the normal cycle is to raise new animal babies in early spring and then sell off most before winter sets in. They do take pre-orders and special orders when able.

Sonshine Acres considers their crops to be of “artisan quality,” paying close attention to very specific varieties, and have won numerous ribbons in both local and state-level fairs.

Ted has completed the Veteran farming program, “Harvest Heroes” through the University of Idaho as well as the “Armed to Farm” national veteran farming program. Ted is also a member of the Idaho Farmer Veteran Coalition and is even certified as “Homegrown by Heroes”!

Sonshine Acres also has a ministry aspect by providing “Blessing Baskets” to those in need when able.