Wind doesn’t stop Ogle County Farm Stroll

OGLE COUNTY – Coco Krup wasn’t going to let a bit of wind from keeping her from finding the perfect pumpkin on Sunday.

The Oregon 10-year-old fought off 36 mph wind gusts at the BerryView Orchard as she perused the many pumpkins for sale at the BerryView Orchard, 7504 W. Midtown Road, during the Ogle County Farm Stroll.

After running out of the orchard’s store and into the wind to the pumpkin wagons, she soon bolted back inside to tell her mom she had made a selection – or at least narrowed it down.

“It certainly is windy,” said Jeff Warren, who along with his wife, Julie, operate BerryView Orchard growing aronia super-fruit berries and a wide variety of apples.

Outside in the orchard Maggie Vazquez, 16, of Chicago, also braved the wind as she picked apples along with her grandparents who are residents of Oregon.

BerryView Orchard was one of six Ogle County farms in this year’s stroll. The self-guided tour was organized by the University of Illinois Extension in an attempt to show the county’s diversified family farms.

Attendees had a chance to win prizes by picking up a Farm Stroll Passport at their first stop and then adding stamps from each farm they visited before turning it in at their final stop.

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

Information about the Ogle County Extension Office can be found at https://extension.illinois.edu/bdo.