Another amazing summer has almost come to an end. We’ve been too busy picking tomatoes and flowers to grace your dinner tables to even turn the pages on our calendars. But, the farmers of Full Belly Farm generally do not count time day to day. Instead, we see the changing seasons by the events that have become the constant reminder that another year has passed. The fall is when we farmers celebrate the beautiful harvest of another year with the Hoes Down Harvest Festival. It is a precious time, full of total exhaustion, and excitement, as we celebrate and share the beauty of rural life, and share our farm with others. This year marks the 34th annual Hoes Down Harvest Festival – we hope you will join us. In case you need convincing, we have created a list of the top ten reasons to come to the Hoes Down Harvest Festival at Full Belly Farm:
1. The Location – If you and your family have yet to visit Full Belly Farm and the Capay Valley, this is a perfect time to do so! You’ll get to see the animals and crops that we watch over each year and there will be walking tours of the entire farm throughout the day. Don’t miss the Flower U-Pick!
2. The Music – We have pulled out all the stops for the 34th annual Hoes Down and are excited to feature The Black Sheep Brass Band, Nat Lefkoff, Raices, JB Barton & Co as well as many other terrific acts from Northern California. We are thrilled to host the The Home Pie String Band from Pie Ranch for a rousing square dance set. We hope you will join us for a few do-se-dos!
3. The Workshops – This year we have some exciting new workshops with something for everyone! Learn about brewing beer with heirloom grains from Hanabi Lager Co, watch (and taste) a live fire cooking demonstration with a Michelin starred chef Seth Stowaway, get the perfect compost recipe from soil health expert Margaret Lloyd, leave with your own organic mushroom grow kit from KM Mushrooms, search for native plants and animals on the farm with local ecologists, and much more!
4. The Food — You’ll never go hungry with our stellar lineup of organic food options. Here are just a few of the menu items we have for this year:
- Falafel, smokey baba ganoush, creamy hummus at Mediterranean Cafe
- Slow roasted River Dog Farm pork, roasted veggies and zesty slaw over Lundberg rice at Big Bowl
- A slice of veggie or sausage pizza from Faria Bakery
- Fat Face seasonal popsicles and Rocko’s Ice Cream Tacos
Every dish is made with the highest quality ingredients, thanks to our amazing food donors, including Cream Co. Meats, Rumiano Cheese, Lundberg Family Farms, Alexandre Family Farms, Frog Hollow Farm, Good Earth Natural Foods, and MORE!
5. Sunday Open Farm Day – Want to continue the farm fun on your way home? You’re in luck! On Sunday, October 5, farms of all shapes and sizes throughout the Capay Valley will be opening their doors for festivalgoers to explore and learn how to stone grind almond butter, distill lavender, see an electric olive harvester in action, and more!
6. Camping in the Walnut Orchard – There’s nothing more magical than falling asleep in our majestic 60-year-old walnut orchard and enjoying a piping hot breakfast and coffee on Sunday morning. It’s an incredible sight you don’t want to miss – farmers and festival attendees waking up after a joyful night and sharing stories and breakfast together. Do some yoga as the sun rises!
7. Farmers Market, Craft Vendors and Silent Auction – Supporting local farms and artisans is at the heart of our mission. Purchase beautiful local organic produce from Pasture 42 and Good Humus and high quality organic wool products from Full Circle Wool. Screen print a poster with Odd Petals printing or score a unique dress made from upcycled fabric at Ragged Thistle. Don’t forget about the silent auction, stocked with so many good items and experiences from our favorite farms, crafters, and restaurants.
8. Children’s Area and Farm Games – Voted one of the top agricultural farm visits for kids – the festival is FULL of hands-on activities for kids ages 1 to 99! Grind grain, paint a pot, make a flower crown, get lost in the sudan grass maze, and learn about natural fibers. Then test your skills at farm games: watermelon eating contests, egg tosses, and the olive pit spitting contests are just a few of the farm fun activities that await you.
9. The Cause – Every single penny raised during the Hoes Down goes to the Ecological Farming Association and local community organizations, such as the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), the local Future Farmers of America (FFA) and 4-H clubs, scholarships for high school ag students, and more. These organizations shape our regional and state agricultural scene of today and the future. By attending the Hoes Down, you are supporting these important causes – especially important in these times!
10. Volunteers – Volunteers are the heart and soul of the Hoes Down Harvest Festival. They park cars, set up stages, chop onions, find lost kids; the list of what they do is endless and the festival wouldn’t go on without them. Many of these hardy folks have come for well over a decade because they LOVE the volunteer energy and commitment to making the festival happen. Volunteering is also a great way to attend the festival on a budget. Sign up for a shift here. There are even shifts on Friday – you can be finished with your volunteering commitments before the Festival officially starts. Camping Friday night is an option for Friday volunteers too.
If this list of ten excellent reasons wasn’t enough, the last thing to note is the true magic of Hoes Down. For each person, the exact reason will differ. For us, it’s the seemingly impossible task of converting a working farm into a festival and then back to a farm, all in one weekend. And the positive influx of energy, positivity, and joy that the community of attendees, volunteers and vendors bring to this farm. Countless people have told us how important the Hoes Down is for them and their families; there’s no denying that this is a unique, and not to be missed event. We hope you’re able to experience it for yourself. Tickets and more information are available on the Hoes Down website here.
