Originally posted November 2020; Revised and migrated May 2021
Travel date August 2020
Dream Acres Emu Farm is one of our favorite nights RV camping using our Harvest Host membership. We love staying at farms and getting a true hands-on experience. The Dream Acres farmers and their emus and pigs were overly welcoming.
What is Harvest Hosts?
We are paid members of Harvest Hosts which partners with farms, breweries, wineries, and other attractions to allow RVer’s to park in their lots for a night while visiting. In exchange for a free parking spot, guests are expected to support their hosts by visiting their attractions and making a purchase. It is a great option for quick overnights in unique locations. We receive a small referral fee and you will get 15% off your membership by using our referral link.
When researching this article in May 2021, I discovered Dream Acres Emu Farm is no longer a Harvest Host. However, they are still in business and have an etsy shop selling their awesome soaps and lotions.
Camping at an Emu Farm with Harvest Hosts
Dream Acres was a wonderful break after a few sleepless nights outside of Laramie. The farm is located just a few miles outside of Cheyenne. Instead of driving into town, we spent all of our time enjoying the farm.
The farmers, Mark and Tish, were super nice and openly welcomed us to their farm. They are RV owners with hopes of traveling full-time after retirement. They had set up a great RV spot in their front yard with outdoor furniture and water and electric hookups available. We could hear the emu thumping out warning calls and peacocks singing from our RV camping site at the farm.
The views of the surrounding farmland were beautiful, especially at sunset.
They gave us a tour of the farm and even let us pet a hand-raised emu named Dog.
I was impressed with the volume of super soft double plumed feathers on his body. I would estimate them to be about four inches deep and pillowy. He was quite happy to be petted and willingly laid down on the ground next to us.
Are emus scary?
Emus are large dinosaur-like birds but much less scary than I thought.
The females communicate with the mob (a group of emus) by making deep thumping noises that sound like a drum. Honestly, this sound can be quite intimidating. Males are considered more docile and do not make this sound.
Despite their thumping sounds, the emu all did their best to stay away from us. However, when we turned our backs they crept closer to check us out. When we turned to face them, they immediately ran away. They were not aggressive at all. I wanted to pet them all but they worked very hard to keep their distance from us.
Are pigs affectionate?
Additionally, the farmers had pet New Zealand pigs. They were cute and very friendly. When anyone got near them, Albert and Penelope both got excited. They wagged their tails and walked over to the gate for ear scratches. I haven’t spent much time around pigs but these guys were very well socialized. Apparently, well-socialized pigs are affectionate like big happy dogs. As you might imagine, I visited Albert and Penny multiple times during our stay.
Can you eat emu meat and emu eggs?
The farmers both have full-time jobs and only raise emus as their side gig. They had about 30 emus that reproduce in the winter (Australia’s summer). Dream Acres Emu Farm sells emu eggs and chicks for pets during this time.
Some restaurants serve emu eggs as a specialty menu item. Mark and Tish said they enjoy making frittatas and similar family-sized dishes using emu eggs. The eggs have beautiful jade green and black speckled shells. They are very large (equivalent to 12 chicken eggs) and are incubated by the males.
Emu meat is red meat but is low in cholesterol and fat. We bought two pounds of emu kabob meat. It reminds me of a lean steak but with the nutritional content of poultry. It is a wonderful option for meat-eaters.
What is the deal with emu oil?
The most valuable emu by-product is emu oil. One emu produces 30 gallons of raw oil via a strip of fat along its back. But 30 gallons of raw oil only results in a few cups of usable oil after refinement. It is a labor-intensive process from animal products. However, emu oil is a natural anti-inflammatory high in omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids. It has lots of other medicinal claims including pain relief for arthritis and muscular aches. There are also claims of skin repair for scarring, wrinkles, and blemishes. I haven’t tried any emu oil but it seems to have a cult-like following.
Dream Acres only butchers a few birds a year. They transport them to a USDA-approved facility for processing. They sell the meat and use the emu oil to make their own soaps and lotions. I absolutely loved the Demin and Lace soap and plan to order more on etsy. It is very moisturizing with a little exfoliating pumice mixed in. Also, it smells great.
Summary Dream Acres Emu Farm
Using our Harvest Hosts for RV camping at Dream Acres Emu Farm was a highlight of our summer. We love the immersive experience of going to sleep and waking up at a farm. It is so much more fun than just taking a one-hour tour. Dream Acres was one of our favorite Harvest Hosts because of the friendly farmers and animals. It felt a lot more like visiting a friends house to see their exotic pets.
