Mid-Valley Winter Ag Fest second edition set for Feb. 25-26
RICKREALL, Ore. — The Mid-Valley Winter Ag Fest aims to build on last year’s inaugural event, which “exceeded attendance expectations on every front,” according to the event’s organizer.
The event, scheduled for the Polk County Fairgrounds on Feb. 25 and 26, welcomed 5,500 adult visitors last year, said Deb Thomas.
“This doesn’t include the thousands of children that attended,” she said. “We had strong local participation with ag organizations and youth groups as well as ag-related businesses.”
The event is spread over five buildings on the fairgrounds campus that host educational events, a Farmer’s Bounty Market, a petting zoo, artisan vendors and displays of ag technology.
The fairgrounds’ Main Building will house the Bounty Market, ag business vendors, the Polk County Master Gardeners and Master Preservers and other groups, Thomas said.
The Swine Barn will feature the Polk County 4-H Horse Club, and local FFA groups will show animals and provide demonstrations such as hoof trimming.
In the Floral Building, demonstrations on outdoor Dutch oven cooking by the 4-H Achievers are a highlight.
In the 4-H Building, family-friendly events such as food and fashion demonstrations are scheduled, and Building B hosts “a mix of ag organizations, Saturday Market and artisan vendors,” Thomas said.
It was, in all of her measures, a successful first year last year, she said. “We just want a repeat of last year.”
Seminars in the Main Building on Feb. 25 include:
• “Home Canning Tomatoes” by the Marion County Master Preservers at 10 a.m.
• “Secrets of the Lazy Urban Chicken Keeper” by Idaho author and farmer Gretchen Anderson at 11 a.m.
• “Introduction to Bee Keeping” by George Woodward of Woodward Farms in Dallas at 1 p.m.
• “Water is the Connection: Managing Pesticide risk to Aid in Salmon Recovery” by Sharon Selvaggio of Northwest Alternatives to Pesticides at 2 p.m.
Seminars in the Main Building on Feb. 26 include:
• “Winter Planning for a Summer Harvest” by Anderson at 11 a.m.
Mid-Valley Winter Ag Fest
Where: Polk County Fairgrounds, Rickreall, Ore.
When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28.
Admission: $5 for adults and free for those under the age of 18.
Parking: Free at the fairgrounds.
Website: www.mvwagfest.com
Email: mvwagfest@gmail.com