Farm to Table Event - Oct 20, 2018

Hello there. It has been several months since I’ve posted an entry to this blog, and I apologize to anyone who was following along. Not much of a blog I guess if it’s not kept up, but let’s see what we can do to improve in n that department. Being a landscaper/farmer, the natural course of this thing can be expected to be heavy on posts in the winter months and thin on them during the long days of the summer months, and perhaps, right there in that little nugget i’ve found my 2019 resolution early. Being a husband/daddy I hope folks can understand that sometimes the perfect time for writing is also the perfect time for wrestling, throwing apples to pigs, playing or watching baseball, and rubbing momma’s feet…

So, back to it, I could toss out even just a few of the farm happenings since I last wrote here, but today’s post is about extending you an invitation and why October 20th will be such a big day on our little farm.

Here’s hoping that Saturday is one of those idyllic fall days in Wisconsin where the sun is warm, but the breeze is crisp and a person is at the height of comfort in jeans and a flannel shirt. On October 20th we will be hosting our first farm to table event. From 3PM to 9PM come on out to the farm for a picnic style feast to include organic grass fed meats, local vegetables, music, raffles and games! Suggested donation is $25 per person (kids free!) and that will include an entry into the grand prize drawing of your choice between a quarter cow and whole pig! Additional entries are available for $10; these are available for folks who cannot attend but would like to roll the dice for a shot at the prize as you need not be present to win! All proceeds from this event and future events above and beyond the cost of production will go towards the Steven Allen Ihde Memorial Park and the to be named memorial fund dedicated to furthering the ideals my Dad stood for.

The park is planned to be a series of trails, garden installations, benches, and playground equipment for the enjoyment of my Dad’s friends, family, and folks with the desire to engage in and learn about the essential vocation of small scale family farming. The big dream is a statue of my old man sitting on the middle of a bench, arms outstretched along the top, his big beard below that big smile and those squinty eyes, his boots beside his bare white feet… I want people to sit with his arm around them. His favorite thing to do in life was to not only make friends, but to truly be a friend. He was a friendship farmer, not only cultivating relationships, but nurturing them, harvesting and sharing the fruits.

Some of you reading this who knew Idaho might be thinking that he would be the last guy who would want a statue made of him, and I would agree, but this is kinda what’s in it for me. I want it in the name of reverence, sure, but much more simply put; I want it for the grandkids he never got to know. They’ll get to climb on him, decorate him for Christmas. It’ll be great. And the thing about statues is that it will be spot on and bring about teary eyed amazement or not even close and be hysterical; can’t lose.

Money was donated at the time of my Dad’s death in his name to the local football program and that was fantastic. He was indeed a very ardent supporter of local athletics, but to use the term athletic supporter as an initial descriptor of the man would be like calling the Rocky Mountains kinda pointy… Doesn’t quite sum it up. His fund will dig a little deeper. Starting in 2019 graduating Seniors, whether or not their post grad plans include college, from Weston and Reedsburg School Districts, as well as local home schooled kids will be eligible for the fund’s annual award.

We are excited here about the food we have to offer, and are excited to share it with you as we pitch in to the continuing collective effort to enrich our community. Follow along here for upcoming updates to the party including the menu and music, featuring Rollick & Roam! Follow them on Facebook! As for raffles and ticket info, send us an inquiry email from the website, message us on Facebook @ Idaho Valley Farm, or call/text (608)415-0229. Happy Fall!