The Frederick County Homesteaders Farm Crawl is back with even more opportunities to visit local homesteads, meet the farmers, try homegrown foods, and enjoy a harvest dinner on Saturday, October 5. Farm Crawl attendees can spend the day visiting 15 local farms and homesteads. On-sight tours of farming operations and hands-on experiences with both farmers and their animals will give visitors a taste of farm living in the Winchester area. New this October, the Crawl ends with an Evening on the Farm dinner. Guests and farmers can mingle and enjoy a community meal complete with music, bar-b-que, prizes, autumn inspired drinks, and desserts. “The Farm Crawl will be a day to enjoy our local harvest and an evening to celebrate our shared heritage. It’s a great way connect with the families behind the farms,” said Samantha Armel, founder of Frederick County Homesteaders. “This is our fifth Farm Crawl, and I’m thrilled that this one is almost twice as big as our spring event.” Maps to each of the participating farms will be available at the event. The Evening on the Farm dinner will be at the Hunting Ridge Retreat. The dinner features music by High Mountain Bluegrass, bar-b-que from local Pit Master John Jewell, desserts from Simple Gifts Farmstead, seasonal drinks from Donut Dive, plus prizes and more from local makers. “You can find all your fall favorites—pumpkins, apples, veggies for supper, and meat for those comfort meals—right here in our home county,” said Armel. “We were so happy to have more than 300 visitors at our spring Farm Crawl. Our homesteaders put so much care into their craft, their animals, and their farms, and that care goes right to serving our local residents.” Members of Frederick County Homesteaders will receive a Shop Local Swag Bag filled with goodies from farms and local businesses. Attendees can also enter to win prizes with the new Farm Crawl Passport, with stamps collected throughout the day and entered at the evening dinner. A Shop Local Guide will be available free for visitors, which includes local homestead history and stories, farm offerings and products, and farm-to-table recipes. Tickets and information are available at frederickcountyhomesteaders.com. The Farm Crawl happens Saturday, October 5, 2024, rain or shine, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Check in is at Solenberger’s True Value Hardware from 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. The Evening on the Farm at Hunting Ridge Retreat is from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. Lawn chairs and blankets are encouraged for the event. Plan for the weather and bring your coolers for those farm treats you’ll want to bring home with you. Frederick County Homesteaders was founded in 2022 to revitalize agriculture in Frederick County by connecting farmers, homesteaders, small businesses, and families. For more information, visit www.frederickcountyhomesteaders.com.