ATTENTION: Please be aware that any donations go directly to change.org and do not go to Good Mood Ranch. What is most needed right now is publicity so please share the link and not donations. Thank you. 

Good Mood Ranch and Local Small Business Supporters,

We need your help to save our community farm! After reading this plea for your help, please share and sign the petition. 

Unfortunately, some our neighbors and our own local government would prefer Good Mood Ranch (GMR) did not exist to serve our community and enrich your lives with Farm, Fun, and Education. So many other small local businesses over recent years have felt the same persistent strain being put upon us and have had to close their doors for good. Our battle behind the scenes has been a long and arduous journey so far, but we believe do not have much time left before GMR will be forced to close its doors for good. We hope that you will help us not succumb to these relentless pressures so that we may continue to be a valued asset to our community.

Sincerely,

Owners of the Good Mood Ranch

UPDATED INFO:

Dear Fellow Community Members,
We are extremely happy for your continued support that is making a positive impact in our effort to save the Good Mood Ranch (GMR)! There have been a lot of questions to say the least. We would love to address one of them in particular with this letter. Is GMR recognized as a farmer?
The short answer is your dang tootin’ we are! If that is all you want to know, you can stop reading now but if you want some of the important key details that bolster this fact, keep reading. The following is a generalized account in chronological order.
• GMR applied to Collier County Property Appraiser (CCPA) on March 10, 2022 for an agricultural exemption. Note that CCPA’s narrow window for agricultural exemption application is only from January 1st to March 1st each year! The application was submitted 7-business days late therefore CCPA would not approve GMR’s request for agricultural exemption until the following year. This is the crux of the situation that has resulted in a series of other issues that authorities using in an attempt to shut GMR down.
o GMR was informed that they had to apply for the agricultural exemption with CCPA again the following year between January 1st and March 1st, 2023. CCPA also noted that GMR would need to demonstrate that they are farmers of that land to be agriculturally exempt.
o A catch-22: For CCPA to approve GMR as agriculturally exempt, GMR had to show they were farmers on lands that they were not yet allowed to farm on. How can someone farm land that is not approved to be farmed?!?!
• USDA Consumer Center Poultry License number to sell eggs issued to GMR in November 2022.
• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued GMR a number in January 2023.
• Code enforcement sent GMR a complaint letter dated January 13, 2023 which was a direct result of the farm’s directly adjacent neighbor. This neighbor does not want GMR as her neighbor and has tried multiple times to get GMR shut down. The complaint letter had four distinct accusations:
1. Clearing Land without a permit.
2. Erecting structures without a permit.
3. Creating ponds without a permit.
4. Farming without a permit.
o Accusations 2, 3, and 4 have been resolved, as it is addressed in the rights to farm act that Bonafide farmers do not need the permits.
o Accusation 1 has not been resolved yet. *Water Management District has an issue with this.
• GMR received a letter from CCPA dated October 3, 2022 (3-Months after the submission of the agricultural exemption request application) acknowledging receipt of the agricultural exemption application. Furthermore, CCPA said they would send a representative from their office to GMR to inspect for commercial agricultural use of the land between Januari 1 and March 1, 2023.
• A document to acknowledge receipt of the Agricultural Classification of GMR was signed by CCPA on October 3, 2022. After the CCPA inspected GMR, and on the same document CCPA signed again on January 4, 2023 “Application approved and all lands are classified agricultural” aka Bona fide Agricultural Purposes which includes Agri-tourism.
• GMR enrolled in Florida Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services (FDACS) Best Management Practices (BMP) program directly after being classified agricultural by CCPA.
• GMR opened to the public Friday, March 3, 2023.
Sincerely,
Owners of Good Mood Ranch, Luc & Karen.