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Farminary Fall Fest 2026

September 26

Come for a day of food, learning, and worship.

Farminary Fest 2026 is a day of gathering, exploration, and shared discovery at the intersection of land, food, creativity, and reflection. Set on the Farminary鈥檚 working farm, the festival brings together neighbors, friends, and newcomers from across the region for a full day of experiences designed to deepen connection鈥攚ith one another, with the earth, and with the questions that shape how we live. From morning worship and hands-on workshops to a chef-led tasting of seasonal bites and an evening conversation and poetry reading with Jessica Jacobs, Farminary Fest invites participants into a rhythm of attentiveness, generosity, and wonder. It is a space to slow down, engage big ideas about faith and ecology, and experience the farm as a living place of learning and imagination.

Cost & Registration

For this event, we offer three different types of registration:

  • General Public: See pricing breakdown below
  • Seminary Community (Student, Faculty or Staff): Minimum payment of $25/pay what you can
  • Guest of 星空传媒 Admissions: Free of charge

As a General Public Registrant, you can sign up for the following:

  • Full Day (workshops, Chef Fest, evening program) – $100
  • Chef Fest Only – $40
  • Evening Program Only – $30

9:00 鈥 10:00 am | Worship Service at the Farm:

  • Guest Preacher: Rev. Dr. Heber Brown, III

10:30 am 鈥 12:00 pm | Morning Workshops:

  • It鈥檚 Always Been Bigger Than Food: Many farmers, land stewards, and food justice stakeholders are motivated by desires and dreams that go far beyond food access alone. They are driven by the chance to help cultivate the realization of something greater. However, their hope for a better present and more hopeful future can be hampered by the constant assault of a myriad of obstacles; many of which seem insurmountable. Rev. Dr. Heber Brown, III will highlight important Black food sovereignty history that will speak to some of these challenges while also pointing the way to approaches that can sustain our hope and the work of our hands right now.
  • Cooking with the Earth: The best ingredients often begin just beyond the kitchen door. Join Chef Gabby Aron for a hands-on workshop that explores the connection between the land beneath our feet and the meals we share. Together, participants will venture into the Farminary landscape to learn about seasonal plants and edible ingredients, discover the basics of responsible foraging, and explore how paying attention to place can transform the way we cook. Whether you鈥檙e an experienced home cook or simply enjoy good food and learning something new, this workshop offers an opportunity to connect with the land, expand your culinary imagination, and share a meal in community. No prior cooking or foraging experience is necessary.
  • Connecting Children and Nature: Designed for kids, K-6, this child-focused workshop will help elementary-age kids build a deeper connection with nature and food through hands-on, age-appropriate activities that spark curiosity and care for the earth. Parents must attend.

12:00 鈥 3:00 pm | Lunch:

  • Head to downtown Princeton or stay on-site and grab lunch from Bro-ritos

3:00 鈥 4:30 pm | Afternoon Workshops:

  • Beyond the Choir: Lessons in Communicating Across the Climate Divide: This workshop explores how to engage with people who are skeptical, disengaged, or outside the 鈥渃limate choir.鈥 Join C-Change Conversations founder and lead presenter Kathleen Biggins for a session on what it takes to move climate conversations beyond familiar circles. Drawing on years of successful engagement with skeptical and conservative leaning audiences, this workshop explores how to communicate climate-related issues in ways that resonate across political, cultural, and ideological lines. Lauded by both conservative policymakers and leading climate scientists, C-Change Conversations has presented to communities of faith, businesses, healthcare professionals, universities, and community organizations, reaching more than 25,000 people across 34 states and internationally.
  • The Poetry of Place: What does it mean to truly notice the place where you are? Join acclaimed poet Jessica Jacobs for an immersive poetry workshop at the Farminary, where fields, gardens, and changing seasons become invitations to slow down, observe, and write. Through close attention to the natural world, participants will explore how landscape, memory, and lived experience can shape powerful poems. Whether you鈥檙e an experienced writer or have never written a poem before, you鈥檒l leave with new ways of seeing, fresh words on the page, and practical tools for cultivating a creative practice rooted in curiosity and attention.
  • The Theology & Ethics of Food: Every meal tells a story. The food we grow, prepare, share, and eat reflects our values, our relationships, and our vision for the kind of world we hope to create. What responsibilities do we have to the people and systems that produce our food? And how do our traditions, beliefs, and cultures shape the way we gather around the table? Drawing on insights from Christian theology alongside contemporary conversations about sustainability, justice, and community, this workshop invites participants into thoughtful discussion rather than debate. Whether you come from a faith tradition, another worldview, or simply a curiosity about food and its significance, you鈥檒l find space to reflect, ask questions, and consider how everyday choices can deepen our connection to people, place, and the planet. No prior background in theology is required鈥攋ust bring your curiosity and an appetite for good conversation.

5:00 鈥 6:30 pm | Farm Chef Fest:

  • Join us for a tasting extravaganza with signature bites provided by regional chefs who have supported the work of the Farminary.

7:00 pm | Interview & Poetry Reading with Featured Guest, Jessica Jacobs:

  • To conclude the day, join acclaimed poet Jessica Jacobs for an intimate conversation and poetry reading. Through an engaging interview, Jessica will reflect on the intersections of poetry, place, ecology, and the creative life, followed by a reading of selected works that invite us to see the natural world with fresh attention and wonder. Whether you鈥檝e spent the day in the workshops or are joining us for the evening, this culminating event offers an inspiring opportunity to gather, listen, and celebrate the power of language to deepen our connection to the world around us.

 

Details

Organizer

Venue

  • The Farminary
  • 4200 Princeton Pike
    Princeton, NJ 08540 United States