It may be hard to believe for some of us, but spring is just around the corner. That means that soon the season of gardening and farmers’ markets filled with abundant produce will soon be upon us!
It also means that the Piedmont Farm Tour is coming up soon. This event is brought to you by The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association. As it says in the brochure from last year’s tour:
“Now, more than ever, thousands of local people are supporting the sustainable farming movement. There is no better way to support these efforts than to go out and see local farms. A visit to a farm encourages our local farmers. It helps you and your kids understand how it works. You’ll eat better and learn great ways to grow your own food. The piglets, bunnies, and veggies are waiting for you!”
I’ve done the tour a few times over the years. A few years ago I did it with my husband and a close friend.
Pigs!
The boys taking action shots of animals at one farm
My husband appreciating the facilities
The tour is a lot of fun. You get to see farms of all sizes and types in action. You get to talk to the farmers. You get to learn a lot about sustainable farming and what that really means for local folks. You get to see, and sometimes pet, all kinds of animals. You get to try foods. I highly recommend it.
This year the tour is April 26th and 27th.
Get together and do the tour with friends because instead of charging by the individual, one fee covers the entire vehicle. You can either pay one low fee and have the ability to tour all of the participating farms, or you can pay per farm. I recommend the former. It’s very affordable and you get to see a lot more. If you pay in advance it is cheaper, but you can pay the day you want to tour as well.
I recommend thoroughly looking through the brochure before you head out. The brochure for 2014 isn’t up yet, but you can look at last year’s to get some ideas. It will tell you what each farm grows or produces, along with a bit of history. There will also be a map with all of the farms designated. The area included is quite big and spread out. There really is no way to see all of the farms in one day. So pick the farms you want to see the most and then tour a few near them, or pick an area and tour all the farms in that area. Whatever you do, be prepared and be strategic. It helps make the day much more enjoyable.
Happy Touring!
-jw
Realistic Nutrition & Beyond 