Lamb on the Lam

Posted by Allyson

The Wagner Farm program staff have been doing a lot of educational outreaches this spring, but Tuesday's trip to St. Paul of the Cross School in Park Ridge was a bit out of the ordinary. One of our lamb's managed to momentarily escape from the outreach trailer on Tuesday and was "on the lam" for a few short minutes. Thankfully, police and a few members of the local community spotted the lamb outside Panera Bread and were able grab hold of it by the halter until our staff arrived to take the lamb back to school where he quickly became the star of the program.  A big thank you to Park Ridge community service officers Laura Soto & Jack Lanners and the community members who acted quickly and kept the lamb safe!

Ta-Da!

Posted by Allyson

Ta-da!  Sweets & Treats Manager Diane is proudly showing off the new ice cream cart  for Wagner Farm's Ice Cream Bar birthday party option!  It took a couple of tries, but she finally managed to put it together using all the parts and pieces.  (It's never good when there's a handful of extra screws left!)  We'll be nice and leave those photos off the blog, but if you follow @HistoricWF on Twitter, you can see some of the before pictures!

Bob & Sue Play a Trick

Posted by Allyson

Andrea, one of the teamsters here at the farm, took this funny photo of Bob and Sue when they were in the shed last week.  Belgian drafts are one of the largest horse breeds, but I think Bob and Sue were playing a trick on us in this photo. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

A Sweet Treat For Spring!

Posted by Sarah

Sweets and Treats ice cream parlor opens for the season starting tomorrow, Saturday May 25!  Come out for a milkshake or ice cream sundae!  The parlor is open from 11-5 on Saturday and 11-3 on Sunday.

An evening with Dr. Ross

Last night we held a teamster training class with our equine veterinarian Dr. Ross.  The subject was trouble shooting horse ailments and reading their body language.  Even though I have spent years working drafts I still learned a lot.  One of the parts I found most interesting was how vaccination protocols have changed over the last couple decades and why.
If you have visited the Farm lately you might have wondered why the horses have been in the shed.  Last week Sue had her first episode of colic.  Because staff recognized the signs immediately we were able to turn the situation around and give her the care she needed.  Part of the recovery that was prescribed by Dr. Ross was to gradually reintroduce her to grass so every day she gets one more hour out until the week is up.  Because the horses like to be together Bob got to spend some time in the shed too.  When Dr. Ross checked on her last night he said that she is doing great.

A Night of Networking

Posted by Sarah
 

We had the chance to host the monthly North Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau networking event last week.  Members of the Bureau and the Glenview Chamber of Commerce came out to enjoy appetizers and refreshments while touring the farm.  Thank you to the NSVCB staff for helping organize the event!

Planting the Harvest

Posted by Allyson

 

Now that it's starting to feel more like spring out, students in NSSED's Be@the Farm partnership program with Wagner Farm have started transferring their seedlings and plants from the greenhouse to their plot next to the Wagner Farm Community Garden outside.  On Monday, they made a lot of progress with the help of a group of students from nearby New Trier High School.  The students put in a long day's work, mulching walkways, pulling weeds, and transplanting fruit and vegetable seedlings.  It's great to see the farmland still being used as it was when it was truck farm owned by the Wagner family in the 1920s.  Be sure to check out www.beatthefarm.com to become a member of the Be@the Farm CSA and share in the harvest!

More Springtime Fun!

Posted by Sarah

Volunteer Open House Saturday, May 25

Posted by Allyson

Stop by the Wagner Farm Heritage Center this Saturday, May 25 any time between 10:00 am and 1:00 pm to learn about the many ways YOU can volunteer at Wagner Farm and the Glenview Farmers Market this year.  Ongoing and one-time opportunities are available in a variety of areas for families, adults and local businesses and organizations looking to get involved in the community and help preserve our rural heritage.  For more information, call 847-657-1506 or e-mail allyson.dawson@glenviewparks.org.

Springtime on the Farm

Posted by Sarah

Wagner Farm kicked off the event season this past weekend with our annual Springtime on the Farm event.  Families came out to enjoy wagon rides, planting activities, and interacting with our livestock.  It was a beautiful day and everyone had a great time!

4-H Woodworking Workshop

Posted by Allyson

The Glenview Clovers 4-H Club is quickly gearing up for summer and the Lake County Fair at the end of July.  Last week, Jeff and John organized a woodworking workshop for members interested in developing and honing their carpentry skills.  The 4-Hers who attended made a bluebird nesting box using a table saw, drill press, old fashioned hammer and nails, and a bit of adult supervision and guidance.  Members can enter their finished nesting box in the fair and then install it outside to provide shelter for the blue birds.

Prom Season at the Farm

Posted by Sarah

Prom season is upon us!  Many high schoolers throughout the area are enjoying this special tradition, and we got to be a small part of it.  We were very proud to see one of our high school seniors enjoying picture time with his friends.  As you can see, Buttercup couldn't resist being in on the action, too!

Livestock "Mug Shots"

Posted by Allyson

 

Over the past few weeks, Barb and Carlin have been working on creating a Wagner Farm livestock identification guide to help volunteers and staff learn the names of each animal on the farm and other important information such as breed, birth date, lineage and approximate weight.  A big part of the project has been trying to get a "mug shot" of each animal, from the cows and horses to the pigs, lambs, chickens, and even the barn cats.  As you can imagine, this can be quite the task when you're working with farm animals!  Above is just a sampling of their great work.  Thanks Barb & Carlin!

Great Evening with "Food Patriots"

Posted by Allyson

We had a great turnout Wednesday night for the "Food Patriots" film screening and discussion led by Wagner Farm Community Garden Coordinator Jen Roberts and Glenview Farmers Market Manager Roxanne Junge.  Thanks to everyone who attended!  We'd like to extend a special thank you to Jeff Spitz of Groundswell Films for allowing us to host a sneak preview of his newest documentary film in-progress and to Jennifer Amdur Spitz for joining us at the farm to introduce the film.  If the film inspired you to learn more about the good food revolution or if you were unable to attend the screening, be sure to visit www.foodpatriots.com.

Springtime on the Farm

Posted by Allyson

Our first family event of the season is coming up this Saturday, May 18 from 12:00-3:00 pm.  Join us as we get ready for spring!  There'll be lots to do from visiting the livestock, making spring-themed crafts, and working in the community garden to taking a wagon ride and enjoying springtime snacks and beverages!  Admission is $5 per person.  Children under 2 free.  Tickets available for purchase the day of the event.

Food Patriots Film Screening Tonight

Posted by Allyson

Stop by the farm at 7:00 pm tonight and join Glenview Farmers Market Manager Roxanne Junge and Wagner Farm Community Garden Coordinator Jen Roberts for a screening and discussion of "Food Patriots," a new documentary film in-progress by Emmy award-winning filmmaker Jeff Spitz.  "Food Patriots" focuses on an issue that directly touches all of us - food.  The film tells the personal stories that show ordinary people taking control of food and creating healthier lives, a less polluted environment, a new sense of community, and new jobs.  Touched by his son's struggle with food-borne illness, filmmaker Jeff Spitz weaves his family's humorous story into a tapestry of stories about people who are changing the way Americans eat, buy, and educate the next generation about food.  Hope to see you at the farm tonight!

Looking Back On a Big Night with the "Big O"

Posted by Allyson

We just got a new shipment into the gift shop last week of Orion's Samuelson's memoir You Can't Dream Big Enough.  We sold out at his book signing and talk at the farm at the end of April.  Catch some more photos below of our big night with the "Big O."

Blossoms

While we might not be Washington DC we do have the cherry trees blossoming  in perfect splendor.  Of course, so are the dandelions.

First Outreach of the Year

The Outreach trailer hit the road this morning to Orland Park with a bunch of animals and a some excited programmers.  The spring offering teaches students about livestock and what happens in the different season on the farm.  For animals we took a chicken, a lamb and Buttercup the cow.  During the course of the program one student dressed special for the program today with his own Wagner Farm shirt.  Great to have a fan club.

Orion Samuelson Visits the Farm

Posted by Sarah

Volunteers and other members of the Glenview community had the chance to listen live to a radio legend last week.  The Big "O" Orion Samuelson, WGN farm broadcaster, spoke about growing up on a farm, his lifelong radio career, and the things he has learned along the way.  Samuelson recently published his new book "You Can't Dream Big Enough: The American Farmer's Friend for Over 60 Years," and had a book signing after the talk. 
A BIG thank you to Allyson for reaching out and inviting him to Wagner Farm!

Northshore Baconfest Photos Round 2