Funk Farms Celebration of 200 Years
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Sat, Jun 22 , 2024 • 10:00am - 5:00pm
5959 N 1100 East Rd, Shirley, IL 61772
Learn about the history of the Funk Family farm and take advantage of food, shopping, live music, and fun!
The day will feature the launch of the book “Pioneers Built from the Soil Up: How the Funk Family Shaped American History.” There will be lots of ground to cover by the expert panel. For example, did you know that Abraham Lincoln was the Farm’s first attorney? Or that members of the Funk Family became the Director of the Union Stockyards, a nationally known suffragette, and was one of the first female lawyers in Chicago? Or that this McLean County family was instrumental in founding Illinois Wesleyan University and Northwestern University and created the first endowed professorship in Illinois history?
After learning a bit about how this local farm made outsized contributions to both county and country, you can relax in a lawn chair, enjoy a cup of locally roasted coffee, listen to informative speakers discuss everything from local maple syrup manufacturing to the past and future of agriculture technology, browse the many local and regional vendors, enjoy a delicious lunch from our farm to your fork, shop our retail beef and branded apparel store, or simply appreciate a beer brewed specially for the event.
No matter your interests, the day will be packed with fun activities for the whole family, and is free admission.