Neighborhood Co-op Grocery to Host Farm Crawl Fundraiser
Date/Time
Date(s) - 09/13/2025 - 09/14/2025
1:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Categories
Neighborhood Co-op Grocery to Host Farm Crawl Fundraiser
Saturday and Sunday, September 13-14. Proceeds to Benefit Food Works
Carbondale, Ill. – Area families and individuals of all ages are invited to participate in the
2025 Neighborhood Co-op Grocery Farm Crawl, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, September 13-14, from 1pm -6pm both days. Tickets go on Sale August 1st!
The Co-op’s annual Farm Crawl is a great opportunity for families and friends to come together
to learn more about locally available produce, meats, and other sustainable goods from farms
across our region. All proceeds from the event will benefit Food Works, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization facilitating the development of a regional food economy in Southern Illinois.
9 local producers will be opening up their farms for the event to share a bit of their story and
products with the community. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience demonstrations,
meet farmers, hear about the history of their farms, learn about crops and livestock, as well as the
unique ups and downs of farming.
The Co-op’s annual Farm Crawl started as a way to connect the community with local growers
sustainably supplying our region with their goods. While the Co-op has been hosting some
version of a farm crawl since 2001, it has had many iterations over the years.
“This year, we focused on a new to the crawl geographical area in southern Illinois, east and west
along the Route 13 corridor,” said Emily Yates, Neighborhood Co-op Brand Manager. “We
introduced new farms to the crawl, highlighting new producers for the community to learn about
and enjoy – we are excited to share these farms and all they do for the region.”
One of those unique farms on the crawl is Well House Farmstead in Carbondale, IL. Since 2020
Well House Farmstead has been using organic, humane and regenerative practices to grow fruits,
berries, nuts, herbs, vegetables, eggs, chicken and lamb products on 10 acres. They intensively
rotate a herd of katahdin hair sheep and heritage breed laying hens through pasture and wooded
areas not sprayed with chemicals, treating illnesses as they occur instead of routinely preventing.
Produce is grown without routine tilling or spraying, instead using crop rotation, mulching for
weed suppression, interplanting, etc.
The 2025 Farm Crawl is a self-guided tour and will require your own transportation. Car passes
must be purchased in advance to gain access to the farms for the event. Passes are exclusively
available for sale online starting August 1st by visiting www.neighborhood.coop/farm-crawl. They may also be purchased in-person at Neighborhood Co-op Grocery in Carbondale, IL
starting Monday, August 25. Event t-shirts and stickers are available both online and in store.
There are a limited number of passes available for this event.
Single day car passes are $20 to visit the area of your choosing: Western Region (Saturday, Sept
13) or Eastern Region (Sunday, Sept 14). Multi-day (Flex) passes are $30. Use them either day (or
both days) to access up to 9 local farms! Each car pass comes with a reusable bag with
informational brochure, map, and other event materials.
This family-friendly event will include education on sustainable growing practices, hi-tunnel
houses, crop rotation, pollinator habitat, rotational grazing, and more. The farms will feature
sheep, cattle, pigs, chickens, rabbits, fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, and fibers. Activities
include feeding and petting animals, free sampling, and more. Many farms will have items
available to purchase.
Sponsors include Legence Bank, SIH, Cahokia Rice, E-Z Rental Center, E.T. Simonds
Construction, SIU Credit Union, LEAF, IL Stewardship Alliance, with additional support from
Henry Printing. For more information about the event, contact Emily Yates at emily@neighborhood.coop or visit
www.neighborhood.coop/farm-crawl. Watch for event updates online at
www.facebook.com/carbondalecoop. For more information on Food Works, please
visit fwsoil.org
About the Neighborhood Co-op Grocery
The mission of the Neighborhood Co-op Grocery is to serve the needs of owners and patrons by
providing wholesome foods economically in the cooperative tradition, in ways that best promote
the health of the individual, the community, and the earth. Learn more at
www.neighborhood.coop.