In 1871 Howard and Martha Coray, settlers who had come West with the Mormon pioneers, homesteaded on a section of land between what is now Mona and Santaquin.
Howard farmed livestock, while Martha grew herbs and gathered indigenous plants to make liniments and medicines.
In 1996, their descendants Gary and Mary Young purchased some of that original Coray land and established the Young Living Family Farm, which, with 1,600 acres devoted to herbs, has become the world's largest organic herb farm for the production of therapeutic-grade essential oils.
Herbs such as lavender, clary sage, melissa, peppermint, spearmint, basil, tarragon and thyme are grown, harvested and distilled at the farm and shipped all over the world. The Young Family Farm is known for producing quality oils, says Paul Johnson, marketing director at the farm, who prefers to be called PJ. "Nobody does it better than little old Mona."
But herbs are just a part of what you will find at the farm. "We are here because of the herbs. But the Youngs wanted to also create a park that would be here for the people of Juab County and beyond, where families could come and enjoy themselves."
Still a work in progress, the farm now features a walk-through herb garden, a little Western village, a zoo filled with exotic animals, a pond complete with paddle boats as well as ducks and swans, and horse-and-wagon tours.
The Whispering Springs BBQ Smokehouse Grill, which features wild game and fresh herbs on its menu, opened this summer. A large gazebo will accommodate group functions such as weddings and receptions.
"It's a great place for family gatherings and reunions and company parties," says Johnson. "The Youngs really want a place that will appeal to tourists but will serve and benefit those in the area."
And the setting, nestled against the Mona Reservoir and with a view of green fields and rugged mountains, is first-rate, he says.
Plans call for creating a corn maze for next fall and adding an ice-skating rink for winter. "We also hope to move the zoo down to another area and bring in more trees, make better surroundings," says Johnson. Among the creatures housed there are a zedonk, a cross between a zebra and a donkey; and zebras, yaks, Barbados sheep, miniature ponies, watusi, longhorn steers and more.
The farm also has 16 large Percheron horses, which pull the wagons and stage coaches around the farm and in local parades and other outings. (Johnson has been practicing with the big bull whip for those occasions; you don't use it on the horses, he says, but at the side, to protect them.)
The interesting thing about the horses, he says, is that you can't just use any two together. They have to form a bond so they will work together as a team. Sometimes that takes some trial and error to get worked out.
Horseshoing demonstrations occur every Wednesday at 4 p.m. Farriers take off shoes, trim hoofs, much like fingernails, shape and correct as needed. It's a fascinating process, says Johnson.
Fort Younger, the old West town geared to children, also opened this summer. "We want children to get the flavor of the Old West, to be able to use their imaginations while they have an enjoyable day," he says. The Saloon offers goodies for sale, and there are old-fashioned toys and such at the Mercantile. There's also face-painting, beadwork and other activities, like a penitentiary wagon, where children can see life behind bars.
The farm is open year-round, although after Labor Day, more activities are centered on the weekends and usually involve a specific theme. September weekends, for example, feature a wagon train from Nephi and dance celebration on Sept. 21 and 22 and Zoo Days on Sept. 28 and 29.
These weekends include make-and-take craft activities, such as dream pillows filled with a bit of lavender. And the farm soon hopes to add cooking classes that will teach how to make blue-flour cornbread and Wolfberry pie, specialties at the restaurant.
School groups are also welcome.
In addition to activities in the park, tours of the herb farm and distillery provide insight into how the oil-extracting process works.
"We're still experimenting, still learning a lot about how to get the best quality oil," he says. So many variations can affect the outcome: even slight differences in temperature, growing conditions, storage, etc.
But basically, it works like this: Before harvesting the plants, water is cut back to create an artificial drought that will "distress" the plant. "It thinks it has to save itself, and to do that, it makes more oil," explains Johnson.
After being harvested, the plants are "cooked" in a process that allows steam to filter through and break down the plants and collect the oil. Then the steam is condensed, which separates out the oil; and the oil is collected off as it floats on the water.
In addition to the farm in Mona, the Youngs have herb farms in St. Mary's, Idaho, and in France. "These essential oils are very popular for their therapeutic powers," says Johnson — something that Martha Coray knew when she moved to this little valley more than a century ago.
Email: carma@desnews.com