Farms and businesses in Thurman are opening their doors to the public for the annual Fall Farm Tour on Saturday, Oct. 7, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. The free event gives Thurman visitors the opportunity, for a day, to experience farm life. Kids are welcome and most sites have children’s activities planned.
This year’s tour features 13 stops including local sugar houses, poultry and produce farms, an animal sanctuary, and, new on the map this year, an apparel manufacturing company that uses antique lace-making machines to produce a unique line of bodywear.
Martin’s Lumber will be a hive of activity with an artisan’s market, craft demonstrations, candle-making, and mushroom and plant walks through the woods where visitors will learn to identify edible varieties and pick up some preparation tips. For those who wish to grow their own mushrooms, inoculated oak logs that will produce shiitake mushrooms will be offered for sale.
Nettle Meadow Farm will hold tours every half-hour to introduce visitors to their horses, donkeys, pot-bellied pigs, goats, peacocks and llamas. Nettle Meadow is an award-winning cheese producer and will be offering free samples. The farm will be serving a lunch buffet in the loft from 12-2 p.m. The buffet will include mac and cheese made with their famous cheeses, chicken pot pie, bratwurst, pumpkin soup, salad, pumpkin spice cheesecake and cider, coffee and water to drink. The cost of the buffet is $20,
Whitefield’s Farm is opening its historic stone barn to visitors and is offering hayrides, pumpkin painting and samples of their specialty sausages. Windy Ridge Farm will be making homemade ice cream and pressing cider. Toad Hill Maple is giving a tour of their sugar house, with product sampling, and offering wagon rides through the sugar bush.
Mud Street Maple is serving a menu of maple-infused dishes including maple chili, maple hotdogs and maple doughnuts. Visitors are invited to bring a chair and pull up to the fire pit and make a s’more. Mud Street Maple has a lineup of children’s activities including leaf rubbings and a scavenger hunt.
Thurman Fall Farm Tour is sponsored by the Thurman Community Association. Visit https://www.visitthurman.com/fall-farm-tour/ to download a map and descriptions of activities at each site.