Guided tour
In addition to the standard self-guided tour, this year a guided tour is available for those who want to sit back, relax and take in the sights. Tickets are on sale at the PolkFresh Farm Store at the ag center, as well as at the Columbus farmers markets on Saturday morning. The guided tour will begin and end at the ag center. The guided tour is available for Polk County stops only.

If you have purchased a guided tour ticket, be at the Mill Spring Ag Center around 9 a.m. so you can stop in the farm store to pick up a complimentary cup of kudzu chai tea. The bus will leave from the lower level of the parking area promptly at 9:30 a.m. The bus should return to the ag center no later than 2:30 p.m.
All proceeds from the farm tour benefit the Mill Spring Agricultural Development Center’s efforts to continue restoration on the center’s 1928 building, which originally housed the Mill Spring High School.
For more information about this year’s farm tour or to purchase tickets directly, contact Mindy Wiener at mindywiener@gmail.com or call the PolkFresh Farm Store at 828-894-8028.
– article submitted by Mindy Wiener

Farm tour schedule
8 a.m.    Columbus farmers market opens.
9 a.m.    Leap Farms, Silver Creek Cattle, Found Feather Farm, Achin’ Back Acres, Beneficial Foods Market at Adawehi, Mill Spring Agriculture Center and PolkFresh Farm Store open for visitors (complimentary kudzu chai tea offered at farm store).
9:30 a.m.    Guided tour bus leaves ag center’s lower level parking lot.
10 a.m.    Emerald Springs Farm, Nelon Knoll/Vandele Farms, Restoration Farm and A.P. Williams open for visitors. Collect eggs at Achin’ Back Acres.
11 a.m.     Goat milking demonstration at Emerald Spring Farm. Check on the cows at Achin’ Back Acres.
11:30 a.m.    Guided tour at Sunny Creek Sprout Farm (one hour). Giardini Trattoria begins Farm Tour lunch special.
Noon    Overmountain Winery (complimentary rose wine until 6 p.m. and wood-fired pizza until 3 p.m.). Parker-Binns (complimentary sangria until 6 p.m.) and CooperRiis Driving Tour open for visitors. Achin’ Back Acres will round pen the horses and prepare for pony rides.
1 p.m.     Green Creek Winery open (offering complimentary Chardonnay wine, grape juice, wine ice cream and wine cake until 6 p.m.). Achin’ Back Acres offering free pony rides for the kids. Emerald Springs Farm giving Aquaponic greenhouse tours featuring tilapia and vegetables. Guided tour at Sunny Creek Sprout Farm (one hour).
2 p.m.    Mill Spring Ag Center blacksmithing exhibit
2:30 p.m.    Last guided tour at Sunny Creek Sprout Farm (one hour).
3 p.m.    Collect eggs at Achin’ Back Acres.
4 p.m.    Feed the animals at Achin’ Back Acres.
4:30 p.m.    Mill Spring Ag Center – Slow Food Foothills meeting/potluck until 6:30 p.m. (open to all).