Annual Aronia Berry Festival

What: 3rd North American Aronia Berry Festival: Sustainable Foods Event When: Sept 18 & 19/ 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Held Annually at Sawmill Hollow Organic Farm:
2159 Kennedy Ave. Missouri Valley, IA 51555.  Very Close to Omaha

Visit:
www.facebook.com/sawmillhollow

Or Event Link:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=113212738737347

Rain or shine, on September 18th and 19th, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., thousands will attend the North American Aronia Berry Festival for all things Aronia (herbals, food, craft beer, recipes), dozens of artisans, artists, story tellers, children’s activities, vendors from the Omaha Farmers Market, international, national, and local speakers, 18th century farm equipment demonstrations, wine tastings, and group demonstrations. These demonstrations include organic fertilizing for garden and farm led by Kent Frederickson, aronia berry growing workshops led by Sawmill Hollow’s owner Vaughn Pittz, and homemade wine making led by Jack Porter. National Speakers listed below in Rolling Thunder Series.

Schedule:
Saturday/ September 18

11:00 a.m.  Live Music and Speaker rotations will begin at 11am. Food will be available for purchase throughout the day.
12:00 p.m. Enjoy Lunch at this beautiful Organic Farm, while taking in the festivities

1:00- 4:30 p.m. Rolling Thunder: Sustainable Ag/ Food System Series Featuring:

Chuck Hassebrook: Executive Director of the Center for Rural Affairs (CFR), Chuck Hassebrook specializes in commodity program reform, rural development, extension, and rural revitalization. CFR has helped around 5,000 small businesses. Mr. Hassebrook has also served on the National Commission on Small farms. Chuck was also influential in the passage of the anti-corporate farming amendment in Nebraska.

Dave Murphy: Founder and Director of Food Democracy Now! National organization dedicated to grassroots community building for a sustainable food system that protects our natural environment, sustains farmers, and nourishes families. A 6th generation Iowan and advocate for a sustainable food system, Dave also organized the Food and Family Farm Presidential Summit, and worked to encourage candidates to pledge to save family farm agriculture and laid out plans to create a more sustainable future for rural America.

Francis Thicke: Author of A New Vision for Iowa Food and Agriculture, and candidate for Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture. Francis is promoting local food production, sustainable animal production systems, on-farm energy production, and the break up of corporate monopolies. Francis and his wife Susan also operate an 80 acre grass based, organic dairy near Fair Field, IA and produce yogurt, milk, and cheese. All of their products are sold within four miles of their farm.

Dr. John Ikerd: An internationally renowned speaker, Dr. kerd is featured in the documentary FRESH and is on it’s Board of Advisors, the author of many books including Crisis and Opportunity: Sustainability in American Agriculture and Small Farms are Real Farms.  He is recognized as one of the country’s foremost advocates on sustainability and family farming. We will also feature an author signing for several of Dr. Ikerd’s books.

5:00 p.m. Author Signing, Music, Food, Wine Tasting

6:00 p.m. Festivities conclude and look forward to another berry good day on Sunday the 19th

Sunday Schedule will be the same as before but will include music, other speakers, and various demonstrations from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m.

Vendors and Organizations include:
Ancient Wisdom Massage & Spa
Mark’s Music & Karaoke
Willow Wind Soaps
Kori Miller- The Tea Trove
Missouri Valley Chamber of Commerce
Loess Hills Lavender Farm
Artist Pam Cates
Dawn Epperson- Face Painting!
Jack Porter-Homemade Wine Making
Snip & Stitch
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Eduction (SARE)
Creations of Nature
Loess Hills Hospitality Association
Charlie Wisecup- Wisecup Farm Museum
Kristy’s Kitchen
Slow Food Omaha
Richard Pryor-Storyteller
Loess Hills Wind Energy
Artist David Rottinghouse
Fiahston Photography
Georgia Mace- Candle Creations
Creative Expressions- hand-painted birdhouses
Directions to 2159 Kennedy Ave., Missouri Valley, IA 51555:

From Omaha/Council Bluffs: Approx. a 30-45 minute drive. Take I-29 to Missouri Valley Exit 75, Merge Right US-30 East, Turn left onto North 1st Street CR-L 20 continue to follow CR-L-20, take a right on to L-23, turn left onto Kennedy Ave to all things Aronia! Signs will be posted beginning at US-30 East.

From Sioux City (approximately an hour and 15 minutes): Take I-29 South to Mondamin, take the 1 A- 127 exit, Exit 89, toward Mondamin . turn left on to IA-127 toward Mondamin continue straight road turns into CR-L20 turn left on to Laredo Ave., turn left on to Kennedy Ave

From Des Moines Area- I-235 W becomes 80 W, Merge onto I-680 W via Exit 27 Toward North Omaha/ Sioux City, Merge onto I-29 North exit 13 B toward Sioux City, Exit 75 Right, Merge Right US-30 East, Turn left onto North 1st Street CR-L 20 continue to follow CR-L-20, take a right on to L-23, turn left onto Kennedy Ave to all things Aronia! Signs will be posted beginning after merging right on US-30 East

From the Logan Area: Take Highway 127 West to Magnolia turn left onto L-23 (Ladredo Ave), turn right onto Kennedy Ave. Signs will be posted.

For more event information:

visit sawmillhollow.com and
facebook page: www.facebook.com/sawmillhollow

or  Contact Andrew Pittz:
712-648-2432 / andrew@sawmillhollow.com