Farmfest Michigan
What is Farmfest?
By Shawn Elizabeth & The Bandura Gypsies
Why the fascination with Farmfest? It's simple. Farmfest is a place where people gather in the interest of nourishing life, from the food we eat, to the hearts we care for, to the music and art we create as expressions of our experiences.
Farmfest is a place where, when you wave hello, it is returned with a hello and probably a hug. Farmfest is a place where the land has remained sacred and progress has been true, not just a name we give to our agendas. There, the hard work put in by so many loyal hands and hearts has paid off for all to see and enjoy, thereby breeding new and excited generations of "helpers."
What does Farmfest do for the community? That depends on you. If you take the time to visit, you will be no doubt changed forever by the love which is felt there. When you see and hear the outpouring of emotion, praise, celebration and good intention, you will not be able to forget her! She will be a part of your heart too, and transform the way you look at your fellow people, the land which you cross or use, and the feeling of gratitude in your life. What THAT does for the community is priceless and quite graceful.
For us, now known as The Bandura Gypsies, Farmfest changed everything. We had a friend who insisted we MUST experience this, and we traveled the three and a half hours there via a trusty Vandura. As promised, it was emotional, unexpected, moving and of course, fun! When we returned from that trip, we decided to take another look at our focus, our music project, our everything. We changed our name, as we consider the musicians and the enjoyers of the world to be kin, part of sort of a tribe. We became The Bandura Gypsies, and began to write songs about the Earth, her people, the vibe we have come to know and appreciate through the joy of the Michigan Festivals, and life as we knew it has become new and improved. We thank Stacy Jo and Farmfest, all of those beautiful travelers, and that sacred, special land, for showing us the meaning of music, fellowship, and gratitude!
It is an honor most high, to stand before the brothers and sisters who so influenced us, before the woman who endures and succeeds so that this may be, before the universe itself and sing the very songs which were born of the love of that farm. Quite surreal, to be sure ...
It is with great hope that our good neighbors will take at least a part of a day, and visit this place which is such a well-kept secret, and support her journey! Your attendance, your conversations, your love, are building blocks to something that is very important to many people.
Music is expression. Expression can be healing, teaching, guiding. We need that from each other. We need that from ourselves. Places like Farmfest give artists a place to express, and listeners a place to receive and connect. It brings people who may otherwise view each other as opposing teams, together working for the SAME team........and that team is LOVE! If you do nothing else this entire summer, take a most beautiful and quaint ride to another place in time, and enjoy the finer and simpler things of life in a way you cannot possibly dream without having been there. And take a selfie, because we just LOVE to see the faces of first-time Farmers! ;) Oh yes, it's that good!
For more information, visit www.farm-fest.com. To hear The Bandura Gypsies’ signature song, “Muddy Bare Feet,” which was written at, about and for Farmfest, visit http://banduragypsies.wix.com/the-bandura-gypsies.
