Dirt will be turning this fall - and it won't be because of the animals.

The City Council has approved the construction of two Dairy Barn silos, a new entrance (above) and a joint general store/ice cream parlor at the Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead, 138th and Switzer.

Of the two silos near the Dairy Barn, one will have an observation tower at the top with dual spiral staircases going up and down the 55 foot silo.

The other will have five learning stations at the bottom, focusing on erosion control and the impact of weather on farming at the turn of the century.

The new entrance will have bathrooms and information space for people coming to and from the Farmstead

Nearby, the general store/ice cream parlor (below) will have a gift shop, an ice cream parlor, and a restaurant, serving everything from sandwiches and fries to salads.

It will cost about $750,000 to construct the Dairy Barn silos, and about $2.1 million for the new entrance building and general store/ice cream parlor, which also will include a restaurant.

The Arts and Recreation Foundation of Overland Park will use donations to pay for the silos project. The city is paying $1.6 million of the entrance building and general store/ice cream parlor project with an additional $500,000 coming from the Friends of the Farmstead organization.

Construction is expected to start on the new entrance and general store/ice cream parlor later this summer, opening in 2009.

Silo construction also is expected to start later this summer, dependent on fundraising.

These new additions will allow the Farmstead to operate and handle the 500,000 visitors expected per year by 2010, particularly with the development of the new soccer complex.

• Farmstead Master Plan (.pdf file)

If you are interested in donating to the silos project, call 913/897-2360.