Ogle County Farm Stroll set for Oct. 13, features six farms

OREGON — Six Ogle County farms are set to welcome visitors Oct. 13 during the Ogle County Farm Stroll.

The farm stroll is a self-guided tour of Ogle County’s diversified family farms hosted by University of Illinois Extension. There is no beginning or end, just choose which farms to see, gather friends and family and enjoy a relaxing, educational and fun afternoon learning about, and shopping at, the farms that grow your food.

This year’s Ogle County Farm Stroll will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13. The free event takes place rain or shine.

It is suggested attendees bring cash to purchase farm products where they are available.

Attendees have a chance to win prizes by picking up a Farm Stroll Passport at their first stop, filling out which farms they visited and turning it in at their final stop.

Participating farms are Barnhart’s Stone Corner and Happily Homegrown in Oregon; BerryView Orchard, Dietrich Ranch and Hough’s Maple Lane Farm in Mt. Morris; and Orion Organics in Franklin Grove.

Barnhart’s Stone Corner, 2169 E. Honey Creek Road, Oregon

Jon and Cindy Barnhart collect and display antique farm equipment and a collection of historical oddities. In addition, they maintain a unique collection of hundreds of tons of stones, many marked with dates and points of origin, all arranged in stone fences and sculptures on their property.

BerryView Orchard, 7504 W. Midtown Road, Mt. Morris

Jeff and Julie Warren grow the super-fruit, aronia berries, using organic practices. Taste aronia berries, learn about the benefits and find ways to add them to your cooking, baking and juicing. Pick your own berries and apples, or purchase pre-picked ones. Sample jams, jellies and cookies. Walk the orchards and see what’s growing.

Dietrich Ranch, 4575 N. Leaf River Road, Mt. Morris

Animals are 100% grass-fed using intensive rotational grazing and holistic management. They raise 100% grass-fed/grass-finished beef, lamb, free-range pastured chickens and pork. All of the products the farm offers are raised without chemicals, antibiotics or hormones.

Happily Homegrown, 4938 S. Scout Road, Oregon

The Bruns family lives on a 12-acre homestead, growing and raising most of their food. This includes pigs, cows, rabbits, chickens and various fruits and vegetables.

Hough’s Maple Lane Farm, 3788 N. Mt. Morris Road, Mt. Morris

Rob and Lynnette Hough, and their two children, collect maple sap in the spring and boil it down into maple goodness using the family’s sugar house. Each year, 20 to 30 gallons of maple syrup is made and sold. Other maple treats include candy, cookies, granola, pickles and dog treats.

Orion Organics, 885 W. Stone Barn Road, Franklin Grove

Tim Benedict’s apiary and garlic farm is surrounded by thousands of acres of native prairie and woodlands. He adheres to strict organic farming methods to produce artisanal raw honey from the native prairie wildflowers among the Nachusa Grasslands.

Farm Stroll guidelines

• Do not bring pets for the safety of livestock and other participants.
• Be sure to follow each farmer’s instructions and be respectful of all animals.
• Dress for farm visits in all-weather clothing and closed-toe shoes.
• Wash your hands regularly.
• Drive carefully on rural roads.

The Ogle County Farm Stroll’s Facebook page has more information, brochures, maps and spotlight features on each farm.

Contact the Ogle County Extension office at 815-732-2191 with any additional questions or if reasonable accommodations are needed to participate in the program. Event brochures can be picked up at the Ogle County Extension Office at 421 W. Pines Road, Suite 10, Oregon, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., or by visiting https://extension.illinois.edu/bdo.