While the family farm may have lost some ground in recent years, there is no shortage of farm venues where groups can break away from the daily routine, learn more about sustainability and the foods they eat or just kick back for some old-fashioned fun. Here are a few of the many options available throughout the Midwest.
Lied Lodge/Arbor Day Farm
liedlodge.org
An hour south of Omaha, the 268-acre Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City, Neb., was once the estate of J. Sterling Morton, an early advocate of tree planting and conservation and the founder of Arbor Day. Run by the Arbor Day Foundation, the multifaceted venue is now a National Historic Landmark that includes tree seedling greenhouses, orchards, vineyards, hiking trials and a Victorian mansion available for special events. It’s also home to the 140-room Lied Lodge & Conference Center, which offers 14,000 square feet of meeting space and amenities such as two golf courses, an Olympic-size indoor pool, spa treatments and airport shuttle service.
Lied Lodge draws business from conservation and agricultural groups and is also popular for executive retreats, corporate teambuilding and other meetings, according to Theresa Brown, director of sales.
“We’re a place for people to come and collaborate on ideas that they can take away and use in their daily lives,” she says. “For example, the Northern Nut Growers Association did a conference here in July because of their interest in our mission and the fact that we have the nation’s largest hazelnut research field. They were able to collaborate with people who are experts right here, on the farm”
On-site teambuilding options range from scavenger hunts in the woods to apple picking challenges where teams pick apples and donate the fruit to churches, shelters and other organizations. Activity choices run the gamut from seasonal hayrides to golf and wine tasting events.
“Our peak season is May through November when the outside activities are in full operation,” Brown says. “But December through March is a really serene and beautiful time to meet at the property.”
Heritage Prairie Farm
heritageprairiefarm.com
Just 45 minutes from downtown Chicago, Heritage Prairie Farm in Elburn, Ill., is a Certified Organic Farm where fresh produce plays a starring role in the regularly scheduled farm dinners and private events held in a setting that also includes beekeeping and small-scale livestock operations. Past events have included educational and teambuilding activities for companies such as Whole Foods and McDonald’s.
“A lot of food-based groups come out here because they’re interested in learning more about organic food production,” says Nathan Sumner, operations manager. “Other groups are not food-based, but are looking for a unique experience in a great setting with excellent food.”
Whatever the objective, Sumner says Heritage Prairie works with planners to provide a customized experienced based on each organization’s goals. The possibilities include five-course, chef-prepared dinners held right in the fields as well as gala events and conferences with audiovisual and LED screens in a tented location.
Fair Oaks Farms
fofarms.com
Sustainable dairy and pig farming are the main focuses of Fair Oaks Farms in Fair Oaks, Ind., which offers two activity options for visitors, the Dairy Adventure and the Pig Adventure. At its Dairy Adventure Center, visitors can watch cheese and ice cream being made, prep a fiberglass cow for milking production, tour a milking parlor filled with dozens of cows and then visit a birthing barn where dozens of calves are born every day. At the Pork Education Center, there are interactive exhibits, a farrowing barn and a ropes course.
Both activity options can be customized for groups, says Leslie Rusk, marketing and special events director, adding that the farm has accommodated groups as large as 3,000.
“We work a lot with agricultural groups and we can help them address a particular topic by getting people to come in and talk about pig or dairy farming or sustainability,” she says.
The main venue for banquets is the Farmhouse Restaurant, which offers two ballrooms as well as a boardroom for groups of 20 or less. The restaurant is also the scene of Chef’s Table dinners, where guests can interact with the chef and observe the cooking and preparation process.
Orr Family Farm
orrfamilyfarm.com
Orr Family Farm in Oklahoma City welcomes visitors to grounds where a variety of attractions, including a zipline, pedal cars and a corn maze, are frequently used for teambuilding activities. While only open to the public during spring and fall, the farm can host catered functions year-round in its Event Barn, which includes a built-in sound system.
The Farm at Walnut Creek
thefarmatwalnutcreek.com
Located in Ohio Amish Country in Sugarcreek, The Farm at Walnut Creek is a working farm that also includes a zoo with over 500 animals from around the world. Visitors can hand-feed the animals from horse-drawn carriages, tour two historic non-electric farmhouses and observe activities such as plowing, seed planting, canning, milking, quilting and baking. The farm also offers group tours and several indoor and outdoor areas for catered events.
Eveland Family Farm
evelandfamilyfarm.com
Open from May 1 to Oct. 31, Eveland Family Farm in Andover, Minn., is available for special events, group tours and activities such as tractor-pulled hayrides. Its spacious grounds offer a picnic pavilion, cornfields and a variety of animals that include llamas, alpacas, goats, donkeys and miniature horses.
Weston Red Barn Farm
westonredbarnfarm.com
Just northwest of Kansas City in Weston, Mo., the Weston Red Barn Farm is a family-run operation that includes two outdoor locations where groups can gather around an evening bonfire and roast hot dogs and marshmallows. Farm tours include the chance to see a barnyard replicating one from the early 20th century, complete with a henhouse, goats, sheep, piglets and draft horses. Visitors can also enjoy a tractor-pulled or horse-drawn hayride and wander through a corn maze.
Bagg Bonanza Farm Historic Site
baggbonanzafarm.org
A National Historic Landmark, the Bagg Bonanza Farm in Mooreton, N.D., is a restored farm dating from the turn of the 20th century, the heyday of “bonanza” farming in the Red River Valley of North Dakota and other parts of the upper Midwest. These large-scale farms were devoted to wheat production and were built in conjunction with the expansion of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, the farm is open by reservation for group tours and offers space for special events in its Farm and Mule Barn.
