Sunday, October 2^nd from 11:00 am – 5:00pm

Farm Crawl 2011 has come and gone. Our fifth year was marked with beautiful weather and record breaking attendance - over 1,350 visitors!
Check back as later for details about Farm Crawl 2012 (the first Sunday in October).

Eight independent family farm operations, all within an easy drive of each other in south-central Iowa, are jointly hosting open houses.
Enjoy a leisurely autumn day “crawling” from farm to farm (Okay, you don't actually crawl, you drive yourself between farms).

Come visit south Marion County/north Lucas County (one hour south of Des Moines) to see each of our individual operations.
Tour the farms, visit the animals, meet the farmers, sample the goodies, purchase locally grown & produced products,
and have lots of fun in the beautiful Iowa countryside! Visit special guest vendors at some of the farms.
FREE admission onto all of the farms (there is a charge to enter the corn-maze at Dan-D Farm).

NO PETS - for the safety of our farm animals and guests, please leave your animals at home.

The eight farms include: Blue Gate Farm, Coyote Run Farm, Dan-D Farms, Pierce’s Pumpkin Patch
Reichert’s Dairy Air, Schneider Orchards, White Breast Pottery and Weaving and new this year: Crooked Gap Farm.
(click on a farm name for more information on that individual farm)

Special thanks to our sponsor: Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI).

Blue Gate Farm (Jill Beebout & Sean Skeehan)

Certified Naturally Grown, chemical-free produce farm with pastured eggs, jams and honey servicing our CSA and DM Farmers Market.
Sample homemade preserves & honey, guided tours of the farm and high tunnels, take home some of our farm-fresh products.

Herb Lemonade and homemade cookies available.
www.bluegatefarmfresh.com

Special Guests:
- Willow Ridge Farm from Lucas, IA raises a number of fiber bearing animals, spins fiber into yarn, and makes many other fine products - www.faktorwillowridge.com
- Peace Tree Brewing Co. from Knoxville, IA will be sampling some of their handcrafted beers and offering bottled root beer to take home - www.peacetreebrewing.com
- Aunt Louise's Cinnamon Rolls from Russell, IA. This is Jill's actual Aunt who makes big and wonderful cinnamon roles - come early before they sell out!

Coyote Run Farm (Matt Russell & Patrick Standley)

A 110 acre farm rebuilding to profitability through relational marketing and sustainable agriculture that grows chemical-free produce & cut flowers, pastured poultry & eggs, hormone-free and grass fed beef, hay, and mules. Self-tour the work in progress on reclaimed grasslands, retrofitted buildings, and a new high tunnel.

Sample a wonderful borscht (a Russian beet soup) recipe made with fresh produce from the farm.
www.coyote-run-farm.com

Crooked Gap Farm (Ethan & Rebecca Book)

A good representation of contemporary homesteading, the Books started their farm on an empty 40 acre piece that had been fallow fields and timber for many years. They built a house and outbuildings and now raise grass-fed Dexter cattle, heritage breed pigs, and lambs. Ethan and Rebecca also keep a large household garden, fruit plantings, a few chickens, and this year they will be planting open-pollinated corn. During Farm Crawl they will have their meats available for sale. Blacksmith demonstration throughout the day.

www.crookedgapfarm.com

Dan-D Farms (Dan Dennison)

18 acre corn maze with the design celebrating the State Fair Butter Cow Lady, racing pigs, barn yard animals, hay rides, giant slide and much more.

During Farm Crawl the barn yard area is free, admission is charged for the maze. Refreshments available.
www.dandfarms.com

Special Guest:
- Wee Bee Apiary and Farm will be sampling and selling their honey and bees wax products - www.weebeeapiary.com

Pierce's Pumpkin Patch (John & Joy Pierce)

Pumpkins, squashes, gourds, decorative corn and a shop full of Halloween celebration décor and costumes.

Pork sandwiches and drinks available.
Pierce's Pumpkin Patch on facebook

Reichert’s Dairy Air (Lois & Jack Reichert)

A small goat herd, micro-dairy with custom built milking barn and cheese-making studio.

Sample some of the several varieties of delicious, award-winning, artisan cheeses and see the goat herd.
www.reichertsdairyair.com

Special Guests:
- Grape Escape Vineyard & Winery from Pleasantville, IA offering samples and sales of their wines - www.grapeescapeiowa.com
- The Stamps Family Farm from Chariton, IA offering sales of heritage pork. FYI - Stamps' use the Dairy's whey as a food source for their pastured pigs!

Schneider Orchard (Arnie & Jane Schneider)

Fresh Iowa grown apples! Stroll through a traditional pick-your-own orchard and enjoy Jonathans, Red and Golden Delicious, Criterion, and Gala apples. Games for the kids.

Homemade pie by the slice and caramel apples available.
www.schneiderorchard.com

White Breast Pottery and Weaving (Sharon Seuferer & Carol Oliver)

Visitors can see how local clays, from beneath the waters of White Breast Creek, are used in making pieces that reflect the area. View the beautiful loom-woven rugs made onsight. A herd of miniature horses hope for some attention as visitors enjoy this beautiful valley.

Pottery and loom demonstrations. Live music.
www.whitebreastpottery.com

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Sunday, October 2nd from 11:00 am – 5:00pm