photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

A bench at Wild Ivy Herb Farm on Tuesday, September 24, 2024.

The Kaw Valley Farm Tour will be returning next week, offering family-friendly activities, such as picking pumpkins and flowers, food and drink tastings, and guided tours.

According to a press release from Douglas County Extension, there will be about 30 farms and four heritage sites participating in this year’s Kaw Valley Farm Tour. The self-guided tour will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4.

The public will be given the opportunity to map out their own stops for the tour to visit Northeast Kansas farms and meet the farmers behind it all. Each of the farms will showcase the diversity of agriculture in the region, from vegetables to livestock and orchards to vineyards.

People can view the descriptions of farm offerings and heritage sites along with a map and driving directions at https://www.kawvalleyfarmtour.com/. The digital map also gives up to date special events and vendors at individual farms over the weekend.

The tour is a collaboration between the Douglas County Extension Council and local farms and businesses to support the economic viability of small local farms and to educate the community about how food and animals are grown and cared for.

For $15, one ticket covers entry for an entire carload to farms and heritage sites throughout the weekend. Digital tickets are available at the Kaw Valley Farm Tour website. People can also purchase physical tickets at:

• The Merc Co+op, 901 Iowa St. in Lawrence.

• Cottin’s Hardware and Rental, 1832 Massachusetts St. in Lawrence.

• Franklin General Store, 11405 Johnson Dr. in Shawnee.

• Douglas County Extension Office, 2110 Harper St. in Lawrence.

If individuals purchased a digital ticket, they can show their ticket to the first farm they visit. They will receive a physical ticket and guidebook to present at the other participating sites.

Before the farm tour, there will be a kickoff event on Friday, Oct. 2 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Irvine’s Just Beyond Paradise, 13561 246th St. The event will offer a curated multicourse meal from Chefs T.K. Peterson and Depal Patel and a cocktail hour featuring local food and wines. Dessert will be prepared and served by Chef Jack Low and the students from Eudora Culinary.

The kickoff event will also feature live music from Mire Pral and a silent auction with proceeds benefiting nonprofit Growing Food Growing Health and the Kaw Valley Farm Tour.

People can purchase tickets for the kickoff event at https://www.kawvalleyfarmtour.com/special-events, and tickets cost $125 per person.