“We’re proud to support the Apple River Farm Tour,” said Kimberly Castagnetta, owner of Bittersweet Homestead in downtown Amery, WI. “It’s a wonderful way to connect visitors not only with local farms, but also with the artisans, makers, and small businesses that make our community so vibrant,” she said.

Clustered by streams and ponds, winding rivers and rocky hills, 14 family farms will open their fields, orchards and trails to the public for the day-long event. “We’re a quick and scenic drive from the Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN area, as well as from Menomonee and Eau Clare, WI,” said Dave Engen, President of the Farm Table Foundation and owner of Meadow Hill Farm, Amery. “We’re your neighbors, and we’re eager to welcome you into our farm community.”

The farms are in and around the Amery area, as well as in nearby River Falls, WI. Many are just minutes from one another, making it easy to enjoy a range of on-farm adventures that day. Activities will include tours and trail walks, crafts and games, and meeting pigs, sheep and bees. Featured products will include farmstead ice cream and cheeses, berries and vegetables, meats, mushrooms, fleeces, medicinal herbs, and more. There will be local food to sample and buy.

“We are a unique combination of farm-country welcome, small-town scale, and up-scale comforts,” said Paul Shafer, Director of the Amery Economic Development Corp. The Amery area features smooth roads curving through marshland and farm fields, new downtown bike lanes, an old-fashioned ice cream parlor, computerized library, newly opened bakery, vintage item stores, and several opportunities for cappuccino.

“Family farms are at the heart of who we are,” said Amery native and former mayor Paul Isakson. “These farms work hard to protect our land and water while producing great products,” said Isakson. “So much of the quality of life we enjoy here is due to the strong connections among our growers and local businesses,” he said. “We look forward to sharing this with visitors July 12th.”

Visit https://appleriverfarmtour.com for detailed descriptions of each farm, a downloadable brochure, and to access an interactive map for the self-guided tour.