2019 Farm Aid & the McHenry County Farm Stroll
I visited a new friends "hobby farm," Lucky Break Acres in Elkhorn, WI, and took a family stroll through the sunflower maze at Vonbergen's Farm right here in my hometown, Hebron, IL this summer. I also had the pleasure of working with Hill Valley Dairy (click on the link to read their Farm Aid featured story) last year at the cheese making event we co-hosted at Lake Geneva Canopy Tours.
If you don't know me, I have a childlike curiosity and remember driving the big highway from the city through the two-lane urban sprawl to the country with my good friend, Dawn(y) as a kid. I do remember those days, sticking my head out the car window, taking in the fresh air, and secretly wondering what farm-life was really like.
I've truly grown to love and appreciate being surrounded by farmland and the people that operate them. You also might not know that I really dig when anyone applies their talent to "do good." SO, I'm dedicating this weeks blog to Farm Aid & the McHenry County Farm Stroll.
These legendary musicians, Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and John Mellencamp organized the first Farm Aid concert in 1985 to raise awareness about the loss of family farms and to raise funds to keep farm families on the land. In 2001, Dave Matthews joined the Farm Aid Board of Directors. Throughout the years, Farm Aid has raised $57 million to promote a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture.
Farm Aid 2019 will be held next Saturday, September 21st at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin. The 2019 Farm Aid line-up includes: Willie Nelson & Family, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Bonnie Raitt, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Margo Price, Jamey Johnson, Tanya Tucker, Brothers Osborne, Yolo, Particle Kid and Ian Mellencamp.
Download the official Farm Aid 2019 mobile app at www.farmaid.org/app. For event updates, follow Farm Aid on Twitter (@FarmAid), Facebook (facebook.com/farmaid) and Instagram (instagram.com/farmaid), and visit farmaid.org/festival. Use the hashtags #FarmAid2019 and #Road2FarmAid to join the conversation on social media around this year’s event.
McHenry County Farm Stroll Sunday, September 29, 10 am to 4 pm
Have you ever wondered how local orchards produce such delicious apples? Or how grapes become wine? Or how raw wool turns into your favorite pair of socks? Or where all those beautiful vegetables at the Farmers Market are actually grown? The McHenry County Farm Stroll is a free (bring cash to make purchases), family friendly event to satisfy your local food cravings and curiosities. Head out on Sunday, September 29th from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm to visit several highly-diversified family farms producing food, fiber, and fun! The participating farms listed below will be open to the public for farm tours, demonstrations, and fresh local food sampling and sales.
2019 Mchenry County Farm Stroll participating farms:
Highfield Farm Creamery, W4848 State Line Rd., Walworth WIB
Hephzibah Farms, 13202 Hebron Rd., Hebron
Hidden Marsh Farm, 10200 Button Rd., Hebron
Von Bergen’s Country Market, 9805 Route 173, Hebron
Patyk’s Farm Market & Greenhouse, 8519 Route 173, RichmondF: Main Stay Therapeutic Farm, 6919 Keystone Rd., Richmond
Knotty Pine Farm, 6011 Miller Rd., Wonder Lake
Dykstra’s Farm, 2917 Greenwood Rd., Woodstock
Terra Vitae Farms, 2719 Greenwood Rd., Woodstock
Midwest Organics Recycling, 29353 N. Darrell Rd., McHenry K: HillBunker Farms, 4915 Dean St., Woodstock
Cody’s Farm & Orchard, 19502 River Rd., Marengo
Visit McHenry County Farm Bureau for more info at http://new.mchenrycfb.org/news/mchenry-county-farm-stroll or at facebook.com/McHenryCountyFarmBureau or call 815-338-1520. Also visit University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners at web.extension.illinois.edu/lm or facebook.com/McHenryCoMasterGardener.
If you can't get to Farm Aid on September 21st, you can make a donation, or you can stop out and support one of the local farms during the farm stroll on September 29th. Enjoy, I know I will.
