Hawthorn Hollow hosting Harvest Hootenanny Oct. 16

Fall family event held at the Heritage Farmstead

By HAWTHORN HOLLOW NATURE SANCTUARY AND ARBORETUM

Hawthorn Hollow grew out of love for the land. As a nature sanctuary and arboretum, Hawthorn Hollow has been connecting people and nature through environmental education for more than 50 years. Walking trails invite visitors to explore a 12-acre arboretum, the woodlands of the Pike River Valley, prairies, gardens, and historic buildings of Somers’ past. Hawthorn Hollow is owned and operated by the Hyslop Foundation, Inc., a non-profit 501 c3 organization formed in 1964.

The Heritage Farmstead at Hawthorn Hollow, 880 Green Bay Road, will be hosting the second Harvest Hootenanny on Saturday, Oct. 16 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This event celebrates the end of the growing season at the Heritage Farmstead, and the beginning of fall. It will be the first Harvest Hootenanny since 2019 after the cancellation of the 2020 event.

The Harvest Hootenanny will feature live music from Ben Mulwana and his band, Violet Wilder, and Jim Sullivan & friends. There will also be fall crafting projects such as pumpkin painting, apple printing, and leaf rubbing. Hay rides and face painting will also be offered, along with tours of our Honey House and the opportunity to buy Hawthorn Hollow’s famous honey, harvested on site.

The mission of the Heritage Farmstead is to promote healthy eating in our community through demonstration of organic produce production and educational programs. These programs include Growing Healthy and Organic Outreach, which are funded by SC Johnson and the Racine Community Foundation. The Growing Healthy program is an ongoing collaborative educational project between Racine Unified School District (RUSD), The Eco-Justice Center, and Hawthorn Hollow, that focuses on advancing nutrition and science education for children. 

The Heritage Farmstead is operated and staffed with part-time high school students through the Organic Outreach summer youth employment program. This program employs young adults and gives them an opportunity to learn about the operations of an organic farm, nutrition, beekeeping, and farmers market operations.

Admission will be $5 per vehicle, and activities such as hay rides and crafting will require additional tickets. All proceeds go towards Hawthorn Hollow’s educational programs. 

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