Farming with Friends fall festival includes farm sounds, contests and more

by Chris Studor

With an oink, oink here and a moo, moo there, guests lined up to eat pie and pitch pumpkins high in the air as part of the Farming with Friends annual fall festival.

More than 500 guests visited the 87-acre farm on Ridge Road Oct. 5 to take part in the farm’s mission of regenerative farming, employing people disabilities while engaging with the community.

Beanie Hat Coffee Co. was one of many food and beverage offerings available throughout the event. In keeping with the season, the company offered both pumpkin- and vanilla-flavored iced coffees. Nearby were pumpkin-painting stations, as well as a corral filled with corn kernels where the little ones could tumble.

“This is just such a wonderful community event,” said Lydsey Chiera of Hinckley. “My three girls are all enjoying painting pumpkins and will be proud to take them home.”

While some were painting pumpkins, others were throwing them, including Seth Geiselman of Hartville.

“I’m going to see just how far I can fling this big pumpkin,” he said.

Visitors even had a chance to participate in a simulated calf-roping challenge. Young Charlie Fisher wound his rope high up in the air to lasso the plastic calf’s head while his parents, Katie and Marcus of Hinckley, cheered him on.

Visitors also had the chance to pitch apples at holes in a net and take their chances at an egg toss. Some might say the real fun happened when Tristan Griffin, executive director of Farming with Friends, announced the start of the animal noise-making contest. The audience was able to choose the winners through applause. There were the typical oinks and moos, along with more melodic bird and turkey calls, which made selecting the winners, who were awarded gift certificates, difficult.

When it came time for the pie-eating contest, contestants donned plastic rain ponchos to protect their clothes and lined up at a table with several pies placed in front of them. Contestants were given a time limit and then went at it, bite by bite, with the crowd heartily cheering them on.

Among the challengers were two well-known Hinckley residents – Hinckley Township Trustee Cindy Engleman and her friend, Nikki Long of Hinckley. While the pair didn’t win, they were good sports as several guests in attendance snapped photos.

While special seasonal celebrations are enjoyed by the public, the down-to-earth work of Farming with Friends continues. The orchard, while not bearing fruit just yet, glows with rows of fruit trees. Further back on the property, chickens peck at grass with their eggs already being offered at a small honor stand at the entrance to the farm. Vegetable and herb crops grown on site reportedly had a good year.

 The farm is dedicated to hiring disabled persons to share in the love of farm work.

“The staff is wonderful to work with and they really understand how to work with the disabled,” said Cathy Wolanin, a job developer and coach at the farm. “You have to take your time, take breaks and enjoy working hand-in-hand. This is a very unique opportunity for the disabled.”

The farm’s new store, which is under construction, is just over half completed. Once finished, the store will offer sustainable fruits, vegetables and other goods. Produce from other local farms will also be sold.

In keeping with seasonal offerings, a soft opening will be held at the store in early December with a grand opening celebration planned for next spring. The soft opening will feature a Christmas theme with treats offered by CoCo Café. It is rumored that Santa Claus will make an appearance as well. More information on the event will be announced in the coming weeks. ∞