Staff Photo Nick Brothers
Don Bennett, founder and director of Tri Cycle Farms, stands next to a hand painted fence by children that was donated to Tri Cycle Farms.
Got a thing for local and organic food? Well, there’s just the event for you this weekend.
Tri Cycle Farms’ Pesto Fest returns for the fourth consecutive year and everyone is welcome to attend Saturday evening, Sept. 12 from 5 to 9 p.m at the farm at 1705 N. Garland Ave in Fayetteville.
The annual “farm raiser” event will feature a pesto contest, live music, activities for the whole family, cocktails and local brews. There will also be food from Greenhouse Grille, Cardamom and Curry, Woodstone Pizza, Pesto Café, Ozark Natural Foods A La Carte, James at the Mill, award-winning ribs by the “Tri Cycle Godfather” Jim Scanlon.
Admission for adults is $15 and children under 12 are free. Pesto Contest registration is $5 online or $10 at the gate. The best part is, all proceeds will go to benefit Tri Cycle Farms and it’s mission to promote “community through soil.”
Proceeds from donations and purchases of admission, raffle tickets, memberships, t-shirts, tanks and market totes and local beer will directly fund two service members from Arkansas GardenCorps, a part-time Farm Manager, as well as insure the doors of the Tri Cycle Farm Community House to stay open for classes and connections.
In addition to funding positions to help operate the farm’s mission, Pesto Fest serves as a celebration for the farm’s accomplishments throughout the year.
Staff Photo Nick Brothers
Tri Cycle Farms spans 2 acres of land in the middle of town off Garland Avenue in Fayetteville. Pesto Fest will raise money to continue its efforts to involve and feed the community.
“We’ve evolved from just a couple of people with an idea over the past four years to a non-profit organization that’s got a board of directors and we’re pushing for this evolution in continuing education, utilizing our advantage of being right in the center of the city,” said Don Bennett, founder and director for Tri Cycle Farms. “What we’re going for is putting people to work. We generated 1,600 volunteer opportunities throughout the year.”
Live, local music will be provided by a trio of folksy roots bands; Handmade Moments, Snake Girty Turncoat and Warren Dietzel. In addition to the music will be electric car rides from Sustainable Urban Mobility (SUMO), kids activities with the Art Experience and a petting zoo featuring the Greedy Goats lawn care of NWA.
As for the Pesto Fest contest, 21 lucky registrants can enter a pint of their best pesto to be judged by three local celebrity chefs in the categories of “Best Pesto” and “Most Creative.” Everyone in attendance can cast their vote for “The People’s Choice” winner. Prizes include a platinum vacation package from James at the Mill valued at $750.
Pesto Contest pre-registration fee is $5. Registration at the gate is $10. All fees are payable the day of event. Early registration is encouraged.
“Pesto Fest is a very welcoming, enjoyable place to gather. It feels so much like community. It really does,” said Dawn Jones, director or media and community outreach for the OMNI Center. “The fest is great fun. It lends itself to a good exchange of conversations.”
If you haven’t been to Tri Cycle Farms yet, it’s an experience worth checking out. Located in the north central part of town off Garland Avenue, the farm sits on 2 acres of land. While not obvious to passerby, behind the stone house that serves as the office space for the farm is a hidden urban-agricultural secret.
Once you step past the barn and gaze upon the land, it already feels like you’ve entered the countryside or another world as the farm sprawls out in front of you.
As small as the urban farm is in comparison, the real goal of the farm is to grow “community through soil” by involving others. The food that is grown is shared in thirds with volunteers, food pantries and community meals and the rest is sold in market and to restaurants sustain the farm and provide local options.
Staff Photo Nick Brothers
Tri Cycle Farms operates with polyculture, whereas several crops are grown together instead of a single crop grown.
“I don’t want it to be a typical farm,” said Don Bennett. “I really believe if we’re going to grow growers and farm farmers, I’m hoping through inspiration and perspiration we can get people to be transformed.”
In addition to farm work, Tri Cycle Farms offers teaching services for gardening and farming at home.
“By growing some of our own food, we can control some of our economy of food,” Bennett said. “At least the personal part.”
