BarnPlace: Breeding Farm Animals, Teaching 4-H Kids

You may not notice it—zipping by on 140th Place NE—but there’s history in the making down at Lila Chapman’s farm. At the Woodinville landmark, just south of downtown, Chapman and husband David are near the end of creating a new breed of chicken. It began with a frisky rooster in 2005 and, after a few more generational crossings of the domesticated fowl, the couple will submit their paperwork to the American Poultry Association.

Lila is rightly proud. “It’ll be the first new breed since 1980,” she said.

Lila loves all her chickens, rabbit and sheep. As many farmers do, Chapman has names for her favorites. Like Sammy and Pip. Chickens both, and Pip is 9 years old and a bit long in the claw. Then there’s Barack and Joe, named after the two most powerful people in the country. They’re sheep on Lila’s homestead,  BarnPlace, a working farm with two buildings and various pens for the animals.
 
Sammy, Pip, Barack, Joe and the rest of clan live on one of Woodinville’s distinct landmarks. Longtime residents are hip to it, as are the hundreds of 4-H kids who’ve learned a thing or two about animals and farming in general from 66-year-old Lila and David, who is 69.

Sheltered as it is from the street at the end of a potholed dirt road, BarnPlace is a relic from a earlier time, when general stores ruled, houses were less palatial, wine was from France and agriculture claimed a foothold in the Sammamish Valley.

On a recent tour of her property, Lila—hobbling a bit after knee surgery—showed off the living room of her spacious converted barn, accompanied by David. Lila is the central part of this story, but BarnPlace wouldn’t run without David around. The couple’s been married for 30 years—he’s retired from Boeing—and they pass the hours and days together. She’s quick to reply to a question she hears sometimes. “How can you stand seeing your husband every day? How can you not? That’s the whole point.”

Lila, who grew up in Seattle and spent summers on a North Dakota farm, is happy to talk about her home, built as a barn in 1939 in the Gothic gambrel style. In 1965, then-owners Ed and Sally Laiti redesigned the interior. The spacious living room is centered by a 17-foot high ceiling and is lighted by a 12-foot high picture window. The view from the second floor overlooks a small orchard and pasture, which in spring is a riot of  bloom and fragrance. Mount Rainer used to be visible on a clear day, but trees have stolen the view.

Lila and David, who opened their first bed-and-breakfast in 1990 in Queen Anne, acquired Barnplace in 1996. After repercussions from the 2001 terrorist attacks helped decimated their Queen Anne business, they decided to sell the property and settle in Woodinville, where they again took in boarders. Some were paid guests, some exchange students. After David gets around to some renovation, the Chapmans plan to open BarnPlace up as a bed-and-breakfast again this summer. “We enjoy it,” Lila said. “We live vicariously through the people we meet.”

These days, Lila is—more than ever—passionate about farming. In addition to raising the chickens, rabbits and sheep, she and David are Washington State University King County Extension Livestock advisors and 4-H leaders. They sponsor a Foster Farm Animal Program on the farm, where kids ages 5 to 18 learn about the care and maintenance of the animals raised and shown at local fairs. 
 
One of the more popular activities Lila hosts is a seven week workshop, Sheep to Shawl, through the Snohomish County 4-H Sewing Department. “Participants watched sheep being sheared, learned to clean and wash the fleece,” she said. “They then learned to spin both raw and washed fleece, dye both white and natural fleece, and learn to create felt.” The interest level was so great that the classes will be offered again this spring.
 
In addition to her farming interests, Lila has been a costumer for nearly 40 years and owns Emperor's New Clothes in Woodinville. Specializing in medieval, Victorian, Edwardian and the 1920’s period of dress, the business caters to schools, churches and individuals. 

But farming and teaching children about animals and agriculture is what Lila loves, and does, best. “We teach care and maintenance of animals,” she said. “It teaches them the benefits of agriculture. Where food comes from. They learn about the proper handling and humane care of animals.”

One last benefit. “Working on a farm teaches responsibility,” Lila said. “It helps to bring kids out of their shyness.”