Flanked by produce stands at the Soulard Farmers’ Market, Farm Aid executive director Carolyn Mugar announced this morning that the Farm Aid 2009 concert will be held in Missouri for the first time, at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on Oct. 4. Farm Aid is in the process of arranging for local food producers to supply concessions at the event, said communications director Jennifer Fahy. One participant has been confirmed: Patchwork Family Farms, a Missouri hog co-op headquartered in Columbia, Mo., which has sold its pork chop sandwiches, ham steak sandwiches and bratwurst at Farm Aid concerts since 2000. “We were the only family farm vendor when we started,” said Patchwork founding member Rhonda Perry, who farms in Howard County, Mo. “The last three or four years, there’s been almost solely family food vendors.” Music performers will include Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp and Farm Aid President Willie Nelson. Tickets for Farm Aid 2009 go on sale July 25. Find details online at www.livenation.com or by calling 877.598.8703.
This article appears in Jul 1-31, 2009.