Chuck, and Lisa Hawke own a 79 acre farm in Paola, Kansas. Fireflies Farm was established in 2018. It quickly became a labor of love with endless planning and building of the venue while juggling a MLB schedule, USA Softball Commissioner duties and property management, among other obligations.
Chuck stepped back from full time KC Royals Visiting Clubhouse Manager in 2022 after 34 years of never missing a home game to dedicate more time to the farm.
The couple, who met through their
careers, Lisa was in Media Relations
and Marketing in the height of
NASCAR, have led lives around
sport icons, celebrities and those in
the spotlight.
They individually and
together have stood in victory lane
surrounded by 200,000 fans and
on a field after winning a World
Series.
These days, the couple, married
since 2004, have traded in long
hours in a clubhouse, traveling
around the country for work and all
of the excitement of careers for
long days at the farm.
They have learned about the building process, the results of supply chain issues associated with a pandemic, tractors, droughts, sod, seeding, caring for a donkey and mule and much farm related information.
The family has grown to include a personable donkey named Billy and a sweet, but somewhat stubborn mule named Socks. Many visitors to the farm enjoy the experience of meeting them, especially after watching Billy chomp on a peppermint or carrot his favorite treats.
Recently opened in May, 2023, Fireflies Farm first hosted the couple’s niece and her fiancé’s wedding. While Chuck and Lisa sat in the wedding meadow watching the flower girl walk the aisle with the same dress the niece had worn at their wedding in Charleston, SC, 19 years prior, the moment became surreal. Chuck looked at Lisa and asked,
“Can you believe we own this?”.
Lisa’s thoughts immediately turned from the beauty of the moment to how rugged this meadow once looked.A rocky terrain made it difficult to trench irrigation and electrical. Every detail required decisions and work. The moment culminating into family sitting in the scenic meadow making lifetime memories made it all worthwhile.
Many people ask how someone could have this vision to transform a century old barn, tear down a non repairable farmhouse and build a beautiful new event venue, etc. Lisa had the vision from the moment she stepped onto the property. It was tweaked, but never changed.
Some of the most notable comments about the farm include,
“It looks like a Hallmark movie set” ( Lisa likes this one), “it looks like a movie set”, “it’s serene”, “enchanting” (this one is used a lot, “can I buy it?”, “I would live here”, “the views”.
While farms are not for everyone, it is their hope for those who visit to leave with a renewed sense of peacefulness.
Chuck’s plaque hangs at the entrance of the KC Royals Visiting Clubhouse, which was graciously dedicated and named for him last fall.
While previous career
memories begin to fade to the back, new memories and adventures await the couple and their beloved Morkie, Buster, on the farm.
It is a peaceful environment to them during non-event times. However, on scheduled event weeks, the grit and grace, tenacity, problem solving, don’t stop until its complete work ethics resurface immediately.
They say they will never stop learning, nor be “done” with the project list.
The one regret they have throughout this process is their parents, who instilled faith and hard work in each of them, are not alive to enjoy it.
