YANKTON, S.D. – S.D. Specialty Producers Association (SDSPA) invites you to an agricultural excursion of four local, organic farms in the Black Hills to learn about their agricultural production methods and to sample their products.
SDSPA and Meade County area producers have coordinated this upcoming tour to showcase specialty crops and the local foods industry on Aug. 20, 2022. The air conditioned bus will depart from Sturgis, S.D. at 9 a.m. MDT and will return at 4 p.m.
The tour begins at Bear Butte Gardens. Michelle & Rick Grosek, owners and producers, have implemented organic production for years. More recently they added a commercial kitchen, a store front and a country vacation rental from which you have an excellent view of Bear Butte.
The next stop is Belle Valley Ancient Grains. Owner Brian Stambaugh produces different kinds of specialty grains and mills the flour. Stambaugh focuses on using ancient or heirloom varieties, grown organically, the way it was done 100 years ago, by implementing crop rotation and avoiding pesticides, herbicides, modern hybrids, and nitrogen fertilizer.
The third stop is Duncan Heritage Farms with owner, operators Desiree and Jesse Duncan. Here guests will see a classic farmstead where they grow corn and put up hay. The organic farm provides their local community and surrounding Black Hills area with healthy, fresh, and chemical-free produce, corn, alfalfa and small grains.
The final tour stop is Owl Creek Organics & Natural Products with producer and owner Bernadette Barnaud. Bernadette has been a gardener and beekeeper for years and produces organic vegetables, herbs and different kinds of value added products including flavored honey and jam and jellies.
Register for this tour on Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/
Each stop will provide a beverage and snack, but you are also welcome to pack a lunch. Youth are welcome, but will need to have a ticket purchased for their seat. You will be a guest on tour hosts’ property, so please use common sense and follow directions. You come at your own risk. You may wish to bring a small cooler for purchases.
The event is hosted by SDSPA and supported in part through the Specialty Crop Block Grant program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
For a full listing of events visit http://sdspecialtyproducers.
— SDSPA