The third annual PolkFresh Farm Tour will celebrate the first day of fall on Saturday, Sept. 22 with a tour of the farms, barns and vineyards of Polk County. This is your chance to visit many local agricultural gems that aren’t always open to the public. Owners, growers and breeders will share first-hand experiences of their journeys in the area.
More than 15 stops will be highlighted on this year’s one-day tour. Some of the past favorites such as Nelon Knoll Farm, Emerald Springs Farm and  Overmountain Vineyards will return, and many new locations such as Found Feather Farm, Achin’ Back Farm and Parker-Binns Winery have been added.
The PolkFresh Tour will, once again, be held in conjunction with the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) Farm Tour (http://www.asapconnections.org/farmtour), which means participants can use their tickets on Sunday, Sept. 23 to explore  35 additional farms in Henderson, Buncombe and other surrounding counties.
In addition to the standard self-guided tour, this year a guided tour will also be available for those who wish to sit back, relax and take in the sights. Tickets are available through the PolkFresh Farm Store, as well as at the Columbus Farmers Markets on Saturday mornings, the Tryon Farmer’s Market on Thursday, Sept. 13 and the Saluda Farmer’s market on Friday, Sept. 14.
Standard vehicle passes will be available and are for unlimited occupants. The guided tour will begin and end at the Mill Spring Ag Center. The guided tour is available for Polk County stops only.
For more information of this year’s farm tour or to purchase tickets directly, contact Mindy Wiener at mindywiener@gmail.com.
– article submitted
by Mindy Wiener