Your Guide to Summer Farm Events in Brookhaven, MS

Fresh Air, Local Food, and a Good Reason to Leave the House

Brookhaven, Mississippi sees its share of heat in July and August. But the summer months are also when the farm comes most alive — not just the animals and the gardens, but the people who show up to experience it.

At Homestead Whittington Farm, summer means farm festivals, u-pick berry days, farm-to-table dinners on the lawn, and workshop weekends. If you have been looking for things to do around Brookhaven this time of year that do not involve a drive to Jackson or a movie theater, you are in the right place.

What Goes On at a Summer Farm Event in Brookhaven?

Farm events in Mississippi are not a new concept — country suppers, county fairs, and church fish fries have been part of the culture for generations. What is changing is the quality of the experience and the food itself.

A proper farm event at Homestead Whittington Farm gives you:

- A working farm setting. Not a petting zoo. You are standing in the same pasture where the chickens live. You can see how things are raised.
- Food that comes from here. Seasonal menus built around what is ready that week — tomatoes, herbs, eggs, whatever the farm has in abundance.
- Live atmosphere without a cover charge. Outdoor music, covered picnic areas, local vendors. No stadium parking fee.
- Activities that make sense for the setting. Hayrides, farm tours, butter-churning demonstrations, canning workshops. Things that could not exist anywhere else.

U-Pick Days and Berry Season in Mississippi

One of the most popular summer traditions is the u-pick day. Coming out to the farm to pick your own produce is about more than saving money — it gives kids a real understanding of where food comes from.

Mississippi summer u-pick typically runs June through August, depending on the crop. Strawberries, blackberries, and early tomatoes all come during this window. You bring home what you pick, which means the meal you cook that night started with something you did yourself.

Many families have turned this into a recurring Saturday habit. One trip, then another three weeks later. The kids start watching the plants grow between visits.

Farm-to-Table Dinners on the Farm

The farm-to-table dinner is the most popular event we run. It is a seated outdoor meal — often 50 to 80 people — built entirely around what is growing or available on the farm that week. No menu in advance. No substitution requests. Just a meal that was planned around what the land produced.

These dinners typically happen once a month during the summer. They sell out quickly. They are not formal — the tables are long, the wine is simple, the conversation is loud, and the food is excellent.

If you want a Brookhaven restaurant experience that is completely different from anything in town, this is it.

Workshops and Farm Classes

We run weekend workshops throughout the summer:

- Canning and preserving — Learn to put up tomatoes and summer squash for the winter months ahead. A practical skill and a tradition that is coming back in a big way.
- Sourdough and bread baking — Using local grain and farm-fresh eggs. Leave with starter and a loaf you made yourself.
- Farm animal handling — How to care for chickens, how to understand what the animals need. Good for anyone considering starting a backyard flock.
- Butchery and meat handling — For the serious cook. How to break down a whole chicken. How to season and cook cuts that get skipped in the supermarket.

These fill up fast. If you see a date that works, book it.

Planning Your Visit

All farm events at Homestead Whittington Farm are held at our property in Brookhaven, Mississippi. Dates and details are posted on our stories page as each event is confirmed.

If you are planning a trip from Jackson, Lincoln County, or the surrounding area, the drive to Brookhaven takes under an hour and is an easy day trip.

You can pre-order pasture-raised chickens ahead of time and pick them up during any event. It is a good way to combine a visit to the farm with taking home something real.

Upcoming Events This Summer

Check our stories page for the full schedule. Events are added throughout the season, and the newsletter is the fastest way to hear about new dates before they are announced publicly.

Sign up below and we will send you dates, details, and early access to event registration before we post them anywhere else.

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For more on the farm setting and what a visit looks like, see our guide to farm weddings in Mississippi.