From the press release:
Summer Farm Tour Brings Fun, Education to Families
April 2, 2015– Visit Champaign County and the Champaign County Farm Bureau invite the community to engage with local farmers at the inaugural Follow the Farmstead, a family-friendly event to be held June 12–13 from 8:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
With agritourism on the rise locally and across the country, Visit Champaign County wanted to create an event that allows visitors and residents an opportunity to explore life on the farm. As part of its mission to educate, the Champaign County Farm Bureau is excited to be involved in this groundbreaking event, as it will allow the community access to farms that are normally inaccessible.
“Agriculture is the foundation of Champaign County. It is what our community was built on, yet so many in the area are far removed from the process,” states Brad Uken, Manager at the Champaign County Farm Bureau. “This event provides a unique opportunity to open up our farms and give individuals the opportunity to interact, ask questions, and discover the role farming plays in our local economy.”
“We’ve excelled at bringing in international and domestic groups for agricultural tours, but now it’s time to grow the market for individuals,” explains Terri Reifsteck, Marketing & Business Development Director for Visit Champaign County. “Follow the Farmstead allows us to engage the many families and individuals who want to connect with our rich agriculture.”
This tour of farms will focus on the southeast quadrant of Champaign County, highlighting farms large and small. Whether you want to discover the emerging technology utilized, tour a centennial farm, interact with farm animals or learn more about equipment used on farms from tractors to combines to tillage equipment and more. Follow the Farmstead will provide numerous opportunities to engage with local farmers, all at no cost. More details on participating farms will be available soon at www.visitchampaigncounty.org/
For more information on participating in the event, contact Terri Reifsteck at 217-351-4133 orterrir@visitchampaigncounty.