9th Annual Farm Tour

Farm Tour 2016

Billed as a great family weekend, the Ninth Annual Farm Tour includes visits to more than twenty farms. Happening next weekend, October 22 and 23, 2016, visitors will learn about local farms, resource organizations, small gardeners and related vendors. There are farms near you in Leon County, Gadsden County, Jefferson County, Madison or Taylor County and farther west.

Jefferson County has a surprising lot of farms on this tour. Those farms will be open and welcoming you. I know of a farm where they specialize in Tennessee Fainting Goats, (be sure to see the great dogs who protect them). You will find farms that raise large varieties of vegetables, others that specialize in just a few or even in different kinds of fruit. There’s another near Monticello that raises bees and sells honey. You will find 20 farms in all, probably more than you can visit in a weekend.

Some of these most interesting places have mazes and other entertainment for your children and grandchildren, special entertainment besides the expected animals, chicken, turkeys and equipment they will be interested in seeing. Oh – there’s even a farm near Monticello where they grind Sugar Cane another that makes Mayhaw jelly.

 

Booklets with a map and complete information are available in many places in Monticello, Tallahassee, Greenville, Havana and other towns—even Bonifay and Eridu.

Remember, this is a self-guided tour. Each farm on the map gives you its own contact information. Don’t bring your pets, farm animals just don’t appreciate them as much as you do. Enjoy your weekend.

The Wonder of Small Town Shopping

I Found It campaign logo – on Main Street T-shirts, and decals for merchants to place on bags and packages

It is amazing sometimes, what you can find to buy in a small town. Monticello has some particularly interesting examples. Take, for instance a store called “The Naked Ewe.” Well now. What do you think that means?

It is actually a yarn and related gift shop. I’m not kidding. They have yarn and thread, all you need for knitting or crocheting, and many handmade gifts. You can buy a handmade sweater, bonnet and bootees for a baby gift for a reasonable price. They even have handmade adult clothing.

The Naked Ewe is over on Cherry Street, just one block off North Jefferson (Route 19 just north of the courthouse round-about) near Dogwood Street. It sits right beside Mattco – our dance and exercise studio – peep in the window if you’re interested.

We also have a fascinating place called Huckleberry’s. That store is over on West Washington Street (Route 90, one block west of the courthouse) right beside Tupelo’s. Never heard of it? Imagine finding antiques, re-furbished and re-purposed furniture and gorgeous flowers right on the corner at Mulberry Street—the flower garden beside the store is lovely and changes all the time..

West Washington St. in Monticello FL in front of Huckleberry’s.

If you never visited Tupelo’s you are in for a treat. They are open Tuesday through Saturday for breakfast and lunch with an occasional evening celebration with music. They serve real food beautifully prepared—they call it “slow food” because they use real organic ingredients. I am addicted to one or two of their specialties including a cinnamon roll that is beyond delicious.

That’s not all – you want interesting shopping? – Tupelo’s sells local goodies such as honey, jams and similar items, even art. They also sell bee-keeping supplies–that’s right–they have a whole room of those things.

That is only a few of the interesting shops to find in Monticello, Florida. We even have a couple of new ones in the works. Every time I check on their progress they tell me SOON. I’ll tell you about it.