Kaw Valley Farm Tour brings thousands to Kansas businesses

KANSAS (KSNT) – The Kaw Valley Farm Tour (KVFT) will feature more than 30 local farms and historic sites across northeast Kansas this year.

Dozens of small family and community farms across six counties in the Kaw River Valley will be open to the public to share their local foods and other goods on Oct. 4 and 5. Since 2004, the Kaw Valley Farm Tour has been a favorite annual fall event for thousands.

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The Kaw River Valley includes Wyandotte, Johnson, Jefferson, Douglas, Shawnee, Pottawatomie, Wabaunsee, Riley and Geary counties in Kansas. Beginning in Junction City, the river valley continues east for about 173 miles where it joins the Missouri River at Kaw Point in Kansas City.

Hilary Kass is the Coordinator for KVFT and has been with the event since its founding. She works to find farms and help them build a great experience.

“The KVFT began as a collaboration between the Merc Co-op, K-State Research and Extension and Pendleton’s Country Market,” Kass said. “We wanted to find a way to support small family farms and open them to the public.”

A total of 33 farms and six heritage sites will be included in the 21st annual farm tour this year. The farms range everywhere from cattle ranches, orchards, wineries, art centers and more. This year also features the return of heritage sites to the tour, which will include historic school houses and museums.

Tickets are available online and are good for a car’s worth of people. Last year, the KVFT sold more than 1150 tickets and brought more than 3300 people to local farms, markets and other businesses.

“There’s always something new on farm tour,” Kass said. “This year’s kick off event will be at Vinland Valley Nursey, and it will include food from Saltwell Farm Kitchen and an immersive walk through of greenhouses.”

Some of the new additions to KVFT this year include Compass Prairie Art Farm, eat8flowers and the KC Farm School. This self-guided tour is the perfect outing for history buffs, foodies, wine lovers and more. For more information, check out the KVFT website.

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