Top Ten Reasons to Come to the Hoes Down
Summer for most farms in this area is the busiest time. Produce is growing rapidly and the summer bounty is thick. Everyone is rushing around to complete his or her work from sunup to sundown. I love everything that the summer brings from tomatoes and melons to finally getting to swim in Cache Creek. However the fall is my favorite time of year. There is delicious acorn squash and chard, but also everything slows down for just a moment. The Hoes Down is our last big hurrah to say goodbye to summer and hello to the fall. Here are ten reasons why you should join us in ushering in the new season:
Contra Dancing One of the most popular events each year at the Hoes Down is the amazing Contra Dance. People of all ages from the old to the young join hands on the dance floor to be lead through the dances. We have been so lucky to have Driving with Fergus and caller Erik Hoffman to lead our dance every year. Even more exciting we have moved Contra Dancing to the LocaLore stage this year to allow more space for each of you.
Utah Phillips Stage We have some really wonderful acts lined up from Deane Dance Center to the Nighttime Story Walk and a Piano Concert. Come and enjoy families relaxing in the shade while they listen, dance and interact with our amazing performers.
Location The Hoes Down Harvest Festival is located at Full Belly Farm, surrounded by rich agricultural land, farm animals, and the Capay Valley hills. This is a unique opportunity to eat incredible organic food, stomp your feet to music and get your hands dirty on the farm.
Agricultural Workshops Interested in learning how to raise chickens, discover native plants, or learn the fundamentals of natural building? Well the Hoes Down is the place to do all that and more. There are over 25 workshops available with the price of admission.
Food Almost everything you eat at the Hoes Down is organic and uses the freshest ingredients. There’s delicious grilled lamb at the Mediterranean Café, homemade pizza from Red Horse Pizza, and the most scrumptious apple galettes provided by Frog Hollow Farm. Want to be more hands-on with your food? Head over to the kids area to make some salsa, bake some bread or churn some ice cream.
Circus The circus is a must-see event that your children will drag you to again and again. We are excited to have Circus Bella back for their 7th year of amazing acrobatics, clowns, jugglers and entertainment.
Animals If you love animals don’t miss your chance to meet some of the Full Belly regulars. Stop by and learn how Pinto Bean gets milked, how our chickens move around the farm in their mobile homes and how our sheep get shorn, or you can check out our petting zoo, turn wool into yarn or take a ride in our horse drawn wagon.
Family Fun Come and enjoy one of the last homegrown family fun festivals in Northern California. The Hoes Down is a chance to relax, get away from the city, and take your self back to a simpler time. Families from all over come to smile, laugh, sing and dance.
Music We bring together local performers who will get your hips swinging and your feet stomping. And there’s music for everyone from the rocking music of Diego’s Umbrella to the energetic folksy music of the T-Sisters. The music never stops at our Farm-On-and-On Stage, the Utah Philips Family stage and the Localore stage (featuring young fresh talent), so if music is your draw we’ve got it all day.
The Giving The Hoes Down Harvest Festival is proud to be an on-farm fundraiser for some amazing community groups. Your support goes to help the Ecological Farming Association, scholarships to young eager college bound students, and grants to over a dozen local community groups. None of this giving could happen without your participation.
In reality there are a million reasons to come to the Hoes Down. Blacksmithing, wool dying, clay creatures, flying foxes, pizza making, tours, bike rides, hikes, dunk tank, and the amazing Hay Fort… Don’t miss your chance to sing your heart out, dance your feet off, and eat ‘till your stuffed as we celebrate a phenomenal summer.
— Jordan Dixon
