Once upon a time I was hiking. My friend and I were training for winter summit of Mount Washington, and we ran into a gentleman on trail that was similarly training for Grand Teton. We started talking, and somehow the conversation went to how we were sad that so many farms were being developed. The man made the comment, “Yeah, and Kutztown and Virginville are getting the worst of it, and no one’s talking about how that area was a major Native American settlement.” He went on reminiscing about how he once could walk through a plowed field and pick up artifacts. This in an area along the I-78 corridor that is now almost unrecognizable due to the warehouse boom.

That was four years ago, and that man’s comment sticks with me today. It was a conversation that led to my desire to tell the story of The Last Farm. Certainly, it inspired the inclusion of Evie’s arrowhead and the loss of history that is just one of the book’s plot points. When I was in the researching phase for the novel, I stumbled upon Dreibelbis Farm, a non-profit historical farm in Virginville, PA that is working to preserve our colonial history and Native American culture where so many other farms are “selling”. I am excited to join their festival tomorrow to celebrate the history and culture of this area. It’s the kind of farm that Evie would simply love. Hopefully The Last Farm will resonate with many of the attendees, and this story will spread.

Join me from 10-4 tomorrow. Bring the kids to have some fun. And be ready to learn! This event looks like it will be hands on and highly educational. And it’s FREE! Hope to see you there.