From Tee to Greens

PHOTOS BY JOYCE MARSHALL

A former golf course gets new life as an educational farm

A sparkling white fence encircles part of what once was a 150-acre municipal golf course in southeast Fort Worth. Horses and cattle amble nose to ground as they graze peacefully on former fairways; ducks waddle around ponds converted from former water hazards. A windmill and tall galvanized tanks and cisterns stand tall in the lush pastures. Emblazoned with the Timberview Farmstead logo and name, they help guide visitors to the nonprofit teaching farm.

Eight barns, a retail store, hydroponic and aquaponic greenhouses and an 8,000-square-foot pavilion with sturdy wood beams—all ADAaccessible— also dot the farm. All the buildings look pristine, which is no surprise as Timberview has been open to the public for a little more than a year. But the seeds of cultivating something that was educational, empowering and functional started in 2014 when co-founder Alan Brown bought the golf course.

On a breezy spring weekday, multiple school buses sit in one of the parking lots and school kids and their chaperones explore the poultry barn and the outdoor gardens. Timberview staff lead their young charges on a tour during which they get to see baby goats bouncing around in their pens, greens thriving in the greenhouse and bees flitting from bloom to bloom in the edible flower garden. There are also donkeys, sheep, a 40-pound turkey and various breeds of rabbits. Walking
through the barns is as fun for the adults as it is for the kids.

Our farm guide is Adam Cohen, whose agricultural cred includes a degree in marine fisheries from Texas A&M, along with experience running an aquaponic farm and partnering in Texas Fungus, a culinary mushroom farm. Like the rest of the Timberview staff, Cohen is passionate about their mission to give all ages, especially young people, a real-world view of where food comes from. “The founders definitely had a vision to make Timberview the premier destination for farm-based education,” says Cohen. “Parents and teachers are always looking for field trips with meaning, and we get great feedback from them after time spent at the farm.”

When Timberview first opened, they hosted 70 field trips over a nine-month period. So far in 2025, they have 61 on the calendar
through June.

Aside from field trips, there are classes to introduce kids to baby farm animals, day camps for more focused experiences and how-to workshops for those interested in gardening. The Timberview Scholars Program is aimed at middle school students from nearby Everman ISD, giving them real-world tools to become confident farmers and people.

Production also has increased on the farm as Timberview is providing local restaurants with weekly deliveries: one chef buys their entire output of microgreens. And retail is picking up with “farm boxes” available at outlets such as Roy Pope Grocery in Fort Worth. (Timberview partners with other providers for locally sourced meat.) “Since we’re located in what’s known as a food desert, we also want to become a go-to for locals,” says Cohen.

As we sat outside the farm store talking, Timberview president John Siburt pulled up on a four-wheeler. A former preacher and nonprofit leader in the corporate world, Siburt exchanged his coat tie for work wear at Timberview in 2023. He and his family also live on the property. “Some of my best childhood memories growing up in Tennessee were of working in the garden, fishing and just being outside,” says Siburt. “At Timberview, it’s exciting to see kids get that hands-on experience, whether it’s a 7-year-old milking a goat or a special-needs child connecting with nature.”

As with any startup, he admits there are bumps in the road. “Of course resources are a challenge, and there’s always so much to do on a working farm. But we’re figuring out how to connect with the community and make an impact.” Siburt says they’re experimenting with private events, having hosted everything from intimate barn dinners to thousands for a city of Everman event, and they have been tinkering with “Friends of the Farm” membership fees. The fall harvest festival and Christmas Nativity were popular last year and are on the 2025 calendar.

Cohen credits Siburt for keeping them on task and focused, but he spreads kudos to everyone including the farm hands, the mechanics and the garden and greenhouse coordinators. “Growth means a need for staff and community involvement, but I’ve already seen local students who want to be part of Timberview, which means we’re making connections and making a difference.”

TIMBERVIEW FARMSTEAD

The farm is open Tuesday-Friday to tours and members only. The public is welcome on Saturdays. Prices, camp and class information and more are on the website.

4274 Timberview Drive,
Fort Worth
817-717-5796
www.timberviewfarmstead.com
Facebook facebook.com/timberviewfarmstead
Insta @timberviewfarmstead