FREDERICKSBURG - Before noon Monday, Grace Purvis and Olivia Hughes milked cows, fed calves and chickens, played on the tire swing, went fishing and practiced arithmetic.

And the 7-year-olds from Conrad were ready for more.

"(Let's) chase the chickens and see if Bah Bah the sheep (is) out," Grace suggested to Olivia.

Just a typical morning at the Farm House Bed and Breakfast just east of Fredericksburg, owners Dianna and Loren Engelbrecht say. The couple make sure their dairy farm is not just a place to sleep, but an experience.

The B&B will celebrate its 10th anniversary next month.

"This is a normal Monday," said Dianna Engelbrecht, as the phone rings with a potential guest on the other line. "We try to give families a real life farm experience. People are so separated from the farm these days."

The Engelbrechts - who both grew up on small dairy farms - don't like the fact so many people know little to nothing about production agriculture despite the fact Iowa still leads the nation in corn, soybean and hog production. Consolidation of the industry is to blame, they said.

In this case, though, the evolution of farming created a business opportunity.

The couple's vision of teaching and providing a service at the same time is paying off. During the B&B's infancy, half of the six bedrooms would be full. This year there's a waiting list to stay.

"We always have a calf to feed. The little kids really love that," Loren said. "The No. 1 thing is we wanted people to come and be hands-on, not just telling them about agriculture, they (guests) want to do it. If I'm pulling a calf at midnight (helping a cow give birth), they want to be there."

"We've developed a big Chicago following," Dianna added.

The couple's 50-acre dairy farm and winery is an agricultural playground for both kids and adults. With cows, sheep, peacocks, chickens, goats, ducks, cats, dogs and llamas galore.

A one-room schoolhouse is restored to its early-1900s glory to visit and play in. A farm pond awaits hopeful fisherman. Walking trails wind throughout the property, and wine tasting is a common occurrence.

As Olivia uses a feather from one of the farm's peacocks to tease a kitten, Grace intently watches with a huge smile as it chases the elusive object. When asked if she wants to go home, Grace didn't hesitate with an answer.

"No!," she yelled. "You get to see all the animals, and there's lots of things to do."

That's exactly the reason Brett and Lisa Purvis decided to spend a three-day vacation in Fredericksburg instead of at an amusement park or the beach.

But Lisa wanted her daughter and her friend to have fun and learn at the same time.

Lisa said she found out about the bed and breakfast by perusing the Iowa Department of Economic Development's Tourism Office Web site - www.traveliowa.com.

"It's just been fantastic. Every opportunity the girls have they're with the animals," Lisa said. "It's definitely worth every penny for the experience."

That type of reaction makes the Englebrechts even more happy they decided to give up their careers and eventually invest in ag tourism. The couple, both 61, purchased the farm in 1993.

At the time, Dianna was a principal at Hudson Community Schools and Loren worked for the Iowa Holstein Association. Loren started milking and selling calves to area farms and Dianna kept her day job, eventually working at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.

The desire to teach people about agriculture and meet new people inspired the couple to start the bed and breakfast in 1998.

The couple remodeled their early 1900s Victorian-style home, adding two bedrooms and private baths in each bedroom. Antiques and old-world charm is abundant - including exposed original support timbers - but modern luxuries like TVs, movies and whirlpool baths also are available.

"The house just lent itself to it," Loren said, referring to two original staircases and walls thick enough to easily install new plumbing and wiring.

As time went on and the business' popularity grew, the couple added more features. They converted an old machine shed and cattle shed into a store with antiques and wine, a winery and dinning room to accommodate tour groups and other guests.

Dianna retired from teaching in 2004 when business really picked up.

"Once we got the Web site, everything exploded. (Popularity) has been increasing every year since," Dianna said. "We built the business around what customers want."

The Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area honored the Engelbrechts with a Golden Silo Award in April.

The couple won the Alan Hutchings Outstanding Visionary award. It honors a Heritage member for more than five years of creating a legacy in heritage development and leadership.

Candy Streed, Silos program and partnership director, said the Englebrechts are true visionaries when it come to preserving agriculture.

"They followed their passion, invested in the community and help make the Heritage Area what it is," Streed said. "They completely immerse visitors in the life of a dairy farm … it's a magical experience."

Contact Matthew Wilde at (319) 291-1579 or matt.wilde@wcfcourier.com.