Red Fern Farm, a SILT-protected property in Wapello, IA, drew about two dozen guests on one of the hottest September days on record, hovering around 100 degrees all day.

The guests came to see the many chestnut and pawpaw trees that Tom Wahl and Kathy Dice have grown over the last 30 years, purchase fruits and nuts they could pick themselves, witness a cooking demonstration of persimmon brownies and learn more about how to protect land like Red Fern Farm.

The project was supported by a Small Farm Summers grant SILT won from the Agricultural Marketing Service of the USDA. The purpose of the grant is to increase retail sales to friends and neighbors of SILT farms.

“That was the most people we’ve ever hosted at once!” Kathy said after the event. The event will be repeated next year but everyone’s hoping it’ll be a little cooler!