KAW VALLEY FARM TOUR 2026

While Visiting Compass Prairie Art Farm you will have the opportunity to purchase then pick your own flowers from the flower farm growing area which also has a small cutting garden just for kids--Mason jars $15 and bud vases for the kids $10.  There will also be a fun area to take your picture with butterfly wings or oversized pumpkin scarecrow “Jack” that is getting ready to lift his weighted hay bales.  Visitors will also be able to enjoy walking the meandering mowed paths of our special 10 acre remnant native prairie which is on a high point looking westward. Prairie ecologists will be available at certain times to share their knowledge of the prairie.  You will also have the opportunity enjoy these other activities such as being part of a photo project, participate in yoga, enjoy perusing the offerings of our vendors.

Special Events

Yoga Dr. Katie Senn, pediatrician, integrative medicine specialist and yoga teacher will kick off the second day of the Farm tour with a Sunday morning yoga opportunity for interested visitors at 10:30am Sunday. Bring your yoga mat!

Music Bobby Scharping will perform with his vocals and instruments during Saturday 10:30am-12:30pm. He writes music to tune into his Kansas Czech roots and to explore the ecology, history, and social fabric of the Great Plains. His style is influenced by Old West cowboy tunes, mid-century protest singers, and contemporary psychedelic folk.

Photographer Tom Styrkowicz (http://53tom.com) will be doing black & white portraits as part of his ONE by ONE Community Portrait series. Each person photographed will receive a free print, as well as have their photo added to the “Compass Prairie Art Farm Community Portrait” wall. Both Saturday and Sunday

Vendors

Anastascia Drake A local fine art painter whose practice is called A Stroke of Red Studio. Her heavy textured style has organically grown from working with visually impaired children. Both Saturday and Sunday

KCKingBee -Todd Burd specializes in artisan homemade farm to market jam and pickles. You will surely find something to take home among his pickles, preserves and mixers.  King Bee will be at Compass both Saturday and Sunday

B.e. Nurtured—Courtney Gray All natural products for the bath, body & home are made with sustainable, fair trade, organic raw ingredients and pure essential oils and botanicals. From soaps to salves, candles to room sprays, this "general store of wellness" has everything you need to care for and heal the body and mind! Saturday

Erica Schroeder of Branded Concrete- Hey I’m Erica! I hand make everything with concrete. I have a line of planter pots, decorative trays and even jewelry. Saturday only

Kelly Hight-  Crochet & Crow is an independent fiber arts brand crafting moody, gothic-forest-inspired crochet pieces that bring a touch of dark elegance to everyday wear. Both Saturday and Sunday

Liz Bonny of Harvestry by Hand uses thrifted and locally grown materials to create handmade yarns, weavings, and sewn items for the home and body. (only on Sunday)

 Julie Farstad is an artist and Professor of Painting and Social Practice at the Kansas City Art Institute. Her work explores ecological themes and native plants. She will be showing her process of painting and drawing on handmade paper made from invasive white mulberry and Amur honeysuckle. (Sunday only)

 DeAnna Skedel-collages eco-prints to embody the legacy of women whose artistry was often expressed through labor and caregiving. These layered works capture knowledge, emotions, and insights, much like inherited stories or cherished recipes passed down through generations. My pieces reflect and challenge social expectations, weaving natural and human-made materials into visual narratives.DeAnna is an artist and educator teaching at teaching at Metropolitan Community College for the last 15 years. (Sunday only)

Food

Maja’s Magic-A world of enchanted desserts for everyone! My home based bakery in Olathe, Kansas is a home to personalized cakes, cupcakes and many traditional baked goods from Slovenia. Jump into the magical world of treats to see which one to try first. (Saturday and Sunday)

 Prairie Ecologists

Matt Garrett 10am to Noon-Informal Tours of our Remnant Prairie by Matt Garrett is the Natural Resource Manager for the Johnson County Park & Recreation District (JCPRD).   He will be available in and around the prairie to answer questions and share his knowledge of our vital prairie ecosystem. 10am to Noon on Saturday

 Kathy Denning (Education Program Coordinator for the Office of Advancing Success in Science-University of Kansas.   She will be available in and around the prairie to answer questions and share her knowledge of our vital prairie ecosystem. Available Noon to 2pm Sunday

Plein Air Painter Adam Crowley from Noon to 5pm on Saturday will be observing and creating an original painting of Compass Prairie while visitors stroll along the prairie paths.