Local farming, fun runs to be featured at festival

Prairie Crossing Charter School will hold the fourth annual Edible Harvest Festival, a locally grown food fair and the Run on the Prairie event.

This event is offered to the community by the Charter School in partnership with the University of Illinois Extension. It will be held on from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 30 at the Prairie Crossing Learning Farm with the 5K Run on the Prairie beginning at 9 a.m. Kids' runs will follow the 5K run at 10:15 a.m. Prairie Crossing Charter School is at 1531 Jones Point Road, Grayslake.

This festival, originally started in 2003 to connect individuals to local farmers, added on the run/walk fitness event last year.

Visitors to the festival can purchase lunch, snacks or home-grown food from local farms.

Attractions include prepared locally grown food for sale such as roast pig, corn-on-the-cob, apple pie, veggie kabobs and wine; and demonstrations by a beekeeper, a nutritionist, native plant specialists and agricultural experts.

In addition to the 5K Run on the Prairie and Junior Run, other school activities include walking tours around the farm and featuring the after-school club "Great Pumpkin Gang."

The event also has educational opportunities. Teachers can earn Certified Professional Development Units for attending the festival and students can earn service hour credits for volunteering at this event.