Join us for our upcoming 200th Anniversary Celebration, where we invite the public to enjoy a fun-filled and informative day on the farm. There truly will be something for everyone!
For instance, 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. There is no admission fee, so we encourage you to join us for this once-in-a-lifetime event down at the farm!
Schedule of Events
All Day Events
10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Live Music: Thomas; The Blonderosa Band
Retail Vendor Market
Food Vendors
Kids’ Activities
Ag Tech: “From the 1800’s to Tomorrow” Legacy of Funk Farms Video
Scheduled Events
10 AM | 200th Celebration Opening Remarks
11-11:30 AM | Debby Funk – 200 Years of Making Maple Sirup in Funk’s Grove
11:45 AM-Noon | The Whip Kid
1 PM-2:30 PM | Launch of Pioneers Built from the Soil Up Book: How the Funk Family Shaped American History & Panel Discussion
2:30 PM-3 PM | Bud Lewis: Funk Brothers Seed Company Retiree
3 PM-3:30 PM | Kenny Toohill: 1830’s Funk Family Hog Drive
4 PM-4:30 PM | John Rehtmeyer: The Funks Grove Cemetery and Sugar Grove-Community Institutions