Planting a seed, watching it grow, and harvesting what you’ve nurtured creates a profound sense of accomplishment that no digital achievement can match. Whether you’re tending a backyard garden, visiting our local farm, or simply cooking with seasonal ingredients, these experiences ground us in something tangible and immediate.
Later this summer and fall, we hope that more young people, adults, and families will have an authentic and engaging experience on our Grayslake farm.
This summer, we introduced our 4-week Summer Farm Camp, where campers ages 5-12 connect with the land, agriculture, the natural world, and their food. Their camp counselors lead them in activities such as touring the farm, collecting eggs, feeding animals, creating arts and crafts, and engaging in farm games with one another. Our farmers teach them what it means to glean, harvest, wash, and pack food for others. We even worked collaboratively to “fill the rain gauge” full of drops (points) earned through a variety of farm olympic events. We hope that campers who entered camp nervously will depart camp more confidently, not only in their personal development, but also in the sense that they were (and are!) a part of something bigger.
We’ve introduced several events in the upcoming months to provide those opportunities. In July and September, we’re hosting another seasonal Farm Tour and Wagon ride. Unlike our June tour and ride, where we greeted deer in the field and gleaned radishes and turnips, this summer’s tour will look different as our summer crops ripen.
Our Supper Series in August and September introduces friends of the farm, Chef Sebastian White and Chef Ernesto Rodriguez, respectively, who work closely with our farm team to bring the crops to dinner plates at the peak of freshness, all set within the farm itself.
In August, Chef White provides a gazpacho demonstration and farm dinner. During this demonstration, he’ll explore techniques for building flavor, balancing freshness, and creating a dish that speaks to the essence of summer. Afterward, participants will enjoy a guided wagon ride and farm tour, and return to the table for a relaxed and thoughtful farm-fresh supper inspired by the day’s harvest.
In September, Chef Ernesto provides a mole demonstration and farm dinner. This hands-on experience will teach you the art of preparing this rich and complex Mexican dish and offer you a taste of the vibrant Oaxacan culture, where mole is a true celebration of life. Afterward, participants will celebrate the holiday with a bright, farm-fresh supper inspired by the day’s harvest.
Finally, our Fiber Arts series aims to lay the groundwork for a local fiber shed.
Join our friend Maggie Attiyeh, owner of Three States Fiber Art, for a creative needle felting sessions where you’ll create a one-of-a-kind felted pieces of art. In July, felted coasters and in August, felts patches can be added to a denim jacket or denim item of your choice! Felting is a fun and approachable way to customize your clothing or home while learning the basics of needle felting. You’ll explore how wool can be shaped into bold designs, soft textures, or quirky statements.
Also in August, Regin Igloria, a multidisciplinary artist and educator based in Chicago, will lead a class of basic bookbinding techniques in a collaborative workshop. Participants will come away with 3-4 handbound books. Both traditional and non-traditional modes of production will be shared, including the use of recycled and re-purposed materials.
Farm experiences offer connections that run deeper than entertainment. These connections teach us patience, respect for the land, and appreciation for the complex web of life that sustains and supports us. These events may even provide you with stress relief and mindfulness found in nature’s rhythms. Visit libertyprairiestore.com to register.
We look forward to having you at the farm to foster collaborations and connections!
~ The Liberty Prairie team