Fall Fest on the Prairie in East Troy, WI
Sat, Oct 17
|New Farm
Join us for a family-friendly event at the New Farm and prairie in the wild Kettle Moraine of SE Wisconsin.
Time & Location
Oct 17, 2026, 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM CDT
New Farm, N8832 Pickeral Lake Rd, East Troy, WI 53120, USA
About the event
You don't need to RSVP to attend, but it would help us plan for food and s'mores. AND EVERYONE WHO DOES RSVP WILL BE ENTERED TO WIN ONE OF THE MANY DOORPRIZES WE'LL GIVE AWAY DURING FALL FEST.
Please join us for kids' activities, art making, hayride tours, food, vendors, and harvest season selfies at New Farm! This FREE open house event will feature local foods, hot chocolate, and s'mores! Explore the beautiful location and see agroforestry, research fields, and a native prairie in the wild heart of Wisconsin’s Southern Kettle Moraine. Enjoy a hayride to a wooded kettle and a presentation on the natural history of this unique region. Make friends, create memories, win auction items, and help support regenerative agriculture!
-Vintage 1954 Oliver Row Crop 77 Tractor selfie station
-Kettle Moraine natural history hayride
-Soil Pit exploration
-Taste tests of alternative grains in cookies
-Roasted brats and hot dogs, tacos, pancakes, Kernza toast
-Hot chocolate and cocktails
-Kernza Beer Samples
-Facepainting, Potato Prints, and Pumpkin decorating
-Gourmet S’more Bar
-Local Vendor Market Tents
-Tool Swap
and more!
For those interested in the special geology of the Kettle Moraine region, there will be tours led by MFAI Research Director Dr. Nicole Tautges and Research Associate Dr. Jim Stute about the Mukwonago River Watershed. Nestled into a mosaic of forest, wetlands, savannas, rivers and lakes, the Mukwonago River Watershed is a natural treasure in the southern Kettle Moraine. The surrounding landscape is home to a wide array of native plants and wildlife, including sandhill cranes, tree frogs, mink, red fox, butterflies and dragonflies. MFAI’s organic fields help to protect this fragile environment in partnership with The Nature Conservancy. We will also view a 2-3 foot soil pit to see the distinct layers of this unique landscape.
"We'll see the distinct layers of the soil profile: top soil, subsoil, clay layer and the parent material - gravel in our case, the stuff the soil formed from," says Dr. Stute. "We'll also see how growing plants and other biology influence soil and its function and talk about management to maximize these positive interactions."
This is an open house and fundraiser supporting the work of Michael Fields Agricultural Institute. The event is FREE but there will be opportunities to give, like local food stands and a silent auction for local goods and experiences. No need to bring anything but curiosity and some warm layers!
Would you like to sponsor this event?
Click HERE. We'll be happy to share your support through our social channels, newsletters, and at our event tables!
Would you like to contribute to our silent auction fundraiser?
Click HERE. Thank you for sharing your goods, services, or experiences!
Would you like to contribute to the work of Michael Fields Agricultural Institute?
Click HERE. Thanks for supporting 2027 research, advocacy, and programs on behalf of regenerative ag!
Many thanks to Tracey and Tom Novak at Pleasant Valley Acres, LLC for being a sponsor for Fall Fest. Go visit their amazing farm stand in Sullivan, WI, for your fall eating and decorating needs! They have ten different varieties in the "Squash House."
Many thanks to Kriss and Shannon Marion at Circle M Market Farm in Blanchardville, WI, for donating a 2-night Farm Stay in one of their restored vintage campers to the Silent Auction fundraiser. Check out their cute sheep and Nigerian Dwarf goats!
Thanks to
You don't need to RSVP to attend, but it would help us plan for food and s'mores. AND EVERYONE WHO DOES RSVP WILL BE ENTERED TO WIN ONE OF THE MANY DOORPRIZES WE'LL GIVE AWAY DURING FALL FEST.
