Illinois/Wisconsin/Iowa
Culinary Farm Tour Schedule

Farmer and Cows

Where do we tour in this area?

We travel across the Mississippi River and valleys... Driving over and around the gorgeous hills of the Mississippi River, these tours pass through small mill and river towns, breath-taking scenery, plus vineyards, fruit, and field crops, and cattle and buffalo farms. We introduce you to some of the finest people on the earth- our farmers. Come with us and you will see what we mean...

Accommodations

Lodging options include:

Country Palmer House, Mt. Carroll

815.244.2343

Prairie Path B&B, Mt. Carroll

815.244.3462

Hotel Glenview, Mt. Carroll

815.244.4058

The Wild Turkey B&B, Galena

815.858.3649

Cloran Mansion B&B, Galena

815.777.0583

See retreat pages for more locations!

Types of Tours

Organic Vegetable Tours:

We tour Wooded Wonderland - sawmill, herbs and vegetables, blueberries, chickens - with Ginger and Bear the Dog. Sat. Aug. 15 (Culinary Farm Tour), Sat. Sept. 5 (City Tour).

Wine Tours:

Wine Tours

We tour biodynamic vineyards and talk with winemakers Pam and Ken Rosmann of Famous Fossil Winery in Cedarville, and cook with Pat Lehnhardt at Great Galena Cookery, Galena, or cook al fresco with Chef Michael Staver at Brightflowers Nursery, Stockton. Avail. Wed. Aug. 5, Sun. Sept. 13.

Mill Tours:

Mill Tours

Historic equipment and gorgeous renovated mill barn highlight the tour and tasting at Rogers Creek Grist Mill in Milledgeville led by our hosts Bonnie and Roger Bork! Roger has found and rehabbed equipment from all over the midwest. This tour is an engineer's delight. We follow the tour with a cooking class and meal at Learn Great Foods Kitchen in Mount Carroll, with Chef Donna Duvall. Avail. Summer and Fall Sundays - call to book your group.

Beef Tours:

Beef Tours

A health and livestock tour with organic farming guru (he would never say this, but we can claim it for him!) Bill Giddings of Evergreen Hill Farm, Sabula, Iowa, followed by cooking with Chef Donna Duvall and Michael Staver at the Learn Great Foods Kitchen.  Avail. Summer and Fall Sundays - call to book your group.

Cheese Tours:

A sustainability tour with organic cheese-maker Willi Lehner of Bleu Mont Dairy in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin. Windmills, cheese curing caves, solar power - all part of the tour! Dinner at the Grumpy Troll brewpub in Mt. Horeb, or with Wave Kasprzak at The Dining Room at 209 Main in Monticello, Wisc. or with Mike Nevil at Chalet Landhaus in New Glarus. Avail. Sun. Aug. 16, Sept. 20, Oct. 18, Nov. 15.

Bison Tours:

Buffalo Tours

Run with the buffalo! Learn about Native American art and buffalo culture, and four-wheel with Doc Lyons and his impressive buffalo herds at Chief Skikshak Northwest Organic Bison Ranch in Sterling. Cook with Donna Duvall and Michael Staver at the Learn Great Foods Kitchen in Mount Carroll.  Avail. Summer and Fall Sundays - call to book your group.

Mushroom Tours:

Shiitake mushrooms and nut trees at Seger's Tree Farm in Thomson. Learn how wood is inoculated to raise shiitake mushrooms and tour a beautifully maintained tree farm with forester David Seger. Cook with Chef Donna Duvall and Michael Staver at the Learn Great Foods Kitchen in Mount Carroll.  Avail. Summer and Fall Sundays - call to book your group.

Fall Custom Tours:

Design your dream tour. You pick where you would like to visit and we will arrange a custom tour for your group! Buffalo, dairy, flour mill, mushrooms, berries, orchards, beef, What is your pleasure? For more information, please call 815.244.5602.